April 29, 2015

Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation Review & Swatches

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

Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation ($62) is a new (and expensive) skincare foundation formula that launched for Spring 2015 that will be available as a permanent part of the Bobbi Brown Makeup Collection.

I’m actually both a hater and a lover of skincare foundations. Most times I find them a little too greasy and oily but I like the theory that I’m treating my skin as well as providing coverage for it. I’m a multitasking demon and I like my makeup products to also multitask so combining skincare along with my foundation into one product is a plus. But as I said, there are downfalls to such formulas. Most times serum foundations are all sorts of oily on my skin and not a terribly pleasant experience. And this is from a girl with dry skin who you’d expect to enjoy serum foundation but no, not my thing thanks very much!

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However, Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation could prove the exception to the rule!

Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation

Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation comes housed in a 1 oz black glass alchemy style bottle with an attached dropper. The dropper makes it easy to combine the product with moisturizer or primer should you like. I personally like droppers because they are just such a mess-free way to drop a small amount on the back of my hand and apply to my face and quite hygienic as well!

This is marketed as a long wearing, silky foundation serum that has a “powerful blend” of serum ingredients to smooth, firm, and give skin a more lifted look. It also contains SPF 40 to sun protection.

It does contain lavender oil which gives it a very strong fragrance so if you are sensitive you might want to head to a counter for a little sniff test. I typically don’t mind fragrance in my foundation products but lavender isn’t a fragrance I really like. Blah! This is formulated with a good deal of nice antioxidants but I don’t think it can ever replace my regular anti-aging serum important anti-aging ingredients like peptides and sodium hyaluronate are lower on the list of ingredients. None the less it’s a nicely formulated foundation and at least you get some skincare benefits from it as you wear it.

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Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation

Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation swatches

Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation Swatches (Warm Sand 2.5)

Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation swatches blended

Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation Swatches (Warm Sand 2.5)

I ordered the shade Warm Sand 2.5 and it’s a bit too yellow. I always find that Bobbi’s shades aren’t quite a fit for me as they are either too yellow or too beige. But none the less I tested it out and I have hopes I will find a shade that fits my skin tone as I like the texture a lot.

It’s thin yet quite creamy but not quite a serum-texture. It feels lightly hydrating but doesn’t leave my skin slick, dewy, or oily. It sets to a soft almost satiny finish with a second skin look that’s very natural. Coverage toes the line at being almost but not quite medium in finish but is fully customizable and can be built for extra coverage or sheerer out for lighter wear. No matter how much you apply it appears smooth, soft, and natural without clinging to drier areas or accentuating less than smooth areas. It has a very even, seamless look and blends out with incredible ease while offering very light moisture. Wear time was iffy as the first time I tested it I got about four hours of wear but the next few times it was around five hours before I saw fading.

Initially it seems to go on very sheer but actually it has a sneaky little way of offering coverage without being you noticing it is doing so. So if you have minor redness, dark spots, or blemishes this should do well at offering fair coverage while brightening up your entire complexion.

I think the natural finish is what really draws me in. I don’t need a ton of foundation but I depend on it to ease dullness and give my skin a little pick me up. This is very natural yet manages to brighten up my complexion and ease dullness!

Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation is a bit on the expensive side though but I felt like the 1 oz size would likely last me for literally ages so that might be some comfort to you if the price scares you.

All in all Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation proves very nice serum foundation. This one combines the benefits of a lighter good for your skin serum with a foundation that brightens and appears very natural. I liked it, a lot! I wish the serum benefits were a little more prominent but this formula doesn’t disappoint in providing natural, seamless coverage without being greasy or oily!

Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation is available on counters now or get it at Sephora.com or Nordstrom.com.

Tried it?

Do share!

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Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Foundation2

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

  • Thea

    Lavendar oil? Inwas interested till I read that. That stuff is actually a major skin irritant. Seems like a poor choice of ingredient for a foundation 🙁

    • Isabella Muse

      absolutely agreed! Thankfully doesn’t irritate me but not keen on the smell of lavender in all honesty 🙁

    • Christina

      Bobbi seems to like putting lavender oil in a lot of her products unfortunately

      • marie

        Yes, but that’s what I don’t understand. Everyone until you get to Indian and African skin is some variant of beige.

        • Isabella Muse

          Sorry I don’t have a specific swatch of one of her shades to use as an example. I just have the Warm Sand which you can see in the swatch as too yellow. Her shades just don’t really work for my skin tone. Many of the shades have a strong beige or yellow undertone or a peachy one. Her concealers, which I love, always seem to lean towards having a stronger yellow undertone.

  • Nike

    The moment I saw this I thought of the cover fx cover drops! I was also turned off when lavender oil was mentioned as an ingredient, but then you said it doesn’t leave a slick or greasy feel.
    The problem with the custom cover drops is that they are OILY! I did one drop of it compared to one drop of UD Naked skin foundation and it emitted 4x more oil than the UD! (Not too bad if you have a blotting powder handy, set the foundation really well, and use a moisturizer and primer to combat oiliness)

    I think this is a better deal than cover drops as you get twice as much product, it’s more beneficial to skin, and your mention of not being really oily. I will definitely try this!

    • Isabella Muse

      ya know, I purchased the drops and I’m using them and so puzzled by them. I don’t get the point. I’d rather just have a foundation, I kinda sorta like the idea of mixing but think it is kinda also a pain…! If you can get a shade that works for you this formula is gorgeous! except for the lavender.

  • Fancie

    I recently picked up the Dior Nude Air and fell completely in love so now I’m curious to try more serum foundations. This one sounds pretty similar to the Dior one so I definitely want to try a sample. I just hope I can find a match. As you mentioned, Bobbi Brown bases run a little on the yellow side and I have stronger red undertones so I usually avoid her line. Minus the lavender, this seems pretty tempting though..

  • Jaime

    Thanks for doing this Muse! The only foundation product from the Bobbi Brown line that will work for me is the Alabaster Tint in the regular (not oil-free) Tinted Moisterizer. I was surprised that it worked so well, as I was expecting it to be too yellow.

    • Isabella Muse

      Hey Jamie! Strangely enough her TM line works great for me, it’s just her foundations that are way too yellow or way too beige! I’m glad it worked for you!!!!!

  • Veronica

    Aye, I have the same problem with her foundations – too yellow or slightly off somehow. Alabaster and Porcelain are generally wearable on my NW10/15 skin, but even that varies based on the medium. I do remember a sales woman telling me that BB believes every woman has some warmth in her skin, so apparently ladies like me are outliers. :p

    • Isabella Muse

      I wish Albaster and Porcelain worked for me because the lighter shades seem to actually be wearable in her range, but they are too light for me 🙁 I have some warmth, I’m a warmer medium but even her warmer shades are always so sandy and beige 🙁

  • Hannah

    hi again, would you prefer this or too faced born this way foundation more? As they seem quite similar in your description!

  • Jodie Pride

    I’d never even heard of this til I’d read your review! I will definitely have to check it out – I use the Bobbi Brown foundation stick at the moment, but this looks great too.

    Jodie

  • D Small

    How can one determine the age of the BB foundation they’ve purchased? I purchased this Intensive Serum Foundation & I’m suspecting it’s quite old as after applying there’s a residue on my fingers that’s difficult to wash off.
    Thx for answering.