Cover FX Power Play Foundation Review

Cover FX, a renowned brand in the beauty world, is celebrated for its high-quality cosmetics, free from harsh chemicals like parabens, mineral oil, fragrance, and talc. What sets them apart is their emphasis on customization, allowing you to craft your unique look with custom foundation drops, glitter drops, highlighter drops, and more. While I’ve dabbled with several of their products, it’s time to delve into their Power Play Foundation in this comprehensive review. To provide context, I opted for the shade P10, designed for porcelain to light skin with pink undertones. Without further ado, let’s dive into my firsthand experience!

Quick Takeaway:

For those seeking a concise assessment of the Cover FX Power Play Foundation, I must emphasize that it stands out as one of the finest lightweight, full-coverage foundations I’ve encountered. Here’s a quick rundown of its merits:

• A remarkable array of 40 available shades.
• The formula’s buildable nature empowers you to tailor your desired coverage.
• The shopping experience on the Cover FX platform is exceptionally smooth.
• It boasts sweat-proof, shine-proof properties and offers environmental protection.

Key Features

The Cover FX Power Play Foundation is a full-coverage matte foundation that manages to remain lightweight. It’s engineered for all-day wear, resisting sweat and providing environmental protection. Notably, its coverage is adaptable; you can layer it gradually without the risk of ending up with a cakey complexion. The secret to its shine control lies in a unique blend of ultra-fine powders, ensuring you stay radiant, not overly dewy, throughout the day.

Impressively, this foundation caters to a diverse range of skin tones with its 40 available shades. This inclusivity is praiseworthy, as many brands fall short in providing ample options, leaving numerous individuals without an ideal shade match.

Cover FX simplifies the shade selection process by unifying shade names across all their foundation lines. The system categorizes shades into Light (ranging from 0 to 20), Medium (25 to 40), Medium/Deep (50 to 85), and Dark (90 to 125). Furthermore, undertones are indicated with letters: P for pink (suitable for rosy, cool skin tones), N for neutral (ideal for those with equal parts pink and golden tones), and G for yellow (complementing warm skin tones).

It’s worth noting that this foundation is best suited for combination to oily skin types. Individuals with very dry skin might find it settling into certain dry or flaky areas.

Pros

• Buildable coverage allows you to achieve your desired foundation look.
• Minimal product buildup even after a full day, distinguishing it from other full-coverage foundations.
• Narrow foundation nozzle for precise control and minimized wastage.
• Exceptional shade range with more options than many other brands.

Cons

• Limited availability of some shades on the Cover FX website, potentially leading to wait times for restocking.
• Exclusivity to the Cover FX website, as it’s no longer sold at Sephora, reducing purchasing options.

Where and What To Buy

As mentioned earlier, the Cover FX Power Play Foundation offers an impressive array of 40 shades, each featuring three distinct undertones to ensure a precise match. While the prospect of ordering online without sampling in-store may seem daunting, Cover FX’s website resources and abundant beauty YouTube content make shade selection a breeze.

Chances are, you may already possess a foundation from another brand. Take a moment to identify its shade and undertone. For instance, if your shade falls within the ‘Medium’ range of another brand, consider exploring shades 25-40 in the Power Play Foundation.

If you’re uncertain about the specific shade within each range, consult the swatches photo included in the product listing. In cases where you’re torn between two shade numbers, opt for the lighter one, as bronzer and blush can effortlessly add warmth to your complexion. Furthermore, Cover FX offers a Shade Match Guarantee, entitling you to free returns and exchanges for all first-time foundation purchases.

For those looking to acquire this foundation, the most reliable source is the Cover FX website. Ordering from their official website ensures access to the entire range, along with customer support for inquiries or potential order adjustments.

It’s worth noting that Cover FX products were once available at Sephora; however, they have since been discontinued from the retailer’s offerings. If you prefer alternatives, you can find Cover FX products at Ulta and Beautylish.

First Impressions & Application

Unboxing my Cover FX package was a moment of anticipation, considering I usually prefer to assess makeup in person before purchasing. Having browsed Cover FX products during their tenure at Sephora, I was acquainted with their packaging and brand ethos.

The packaging is elegantly simple, with a durable plastic tube and a chic grey chrome lid. The non-glass bottle is a practical choice, especially for travel, where glass containers have the potential to cause makeup mishaps.

Upon opening the lid, you’ll notice a narrow squeeze nozzle, a feature I appreciate for its reduction in product wastage. I’ve encountered countless instances where foundation unexpectedly spurted everywhere, making this nozzle design a welcome addition. To ensure product consistency, give the bottle a good shake to blend any separated components.

For application, I opted for a beauty blender. Dampening the beauty blender is a key strategy for achieving even coverage with full-coverage foundations, allowing for gradual build-up while effectively pressing the product into the skin. This method surpasses brushes, which may result in streaks if not used correctly.

A valuable tip for using the beauty blender is to dispense the foundation onto your hand first before applying. Applying the foundation directly to the sponge can lead to rapid absorption.

Once the foundation was evenly applied, I set it with a light powder immediately. While a heavier setting powder can be used for extreme full coverage, I believe it’s preferable to establish your desired coverage with liquid foundation and then employ a lighter powder for setting. Heavy powders may accentuate imperfections and give the appearance of cracks.

To seal the foundation, I applied a setting spray, ensuring it dried completely before proceeding with my makeup routine. My personal favorite is the Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray for its effectiveness.

All-Day Wear

To thoroughly assess the performance of this foundation under various circumstances, I wore it on multiple occasions, especially in a climate characterized by frequent mask-wearing and cold, dry conditions. Impressively, the Cover FX Power Play Foundation demonstrated remarkable resilience throughout.

However, it’s worth noting that this foundation may present challenges for individuals with extremely dry skin. Lacking intensive hydration components, it tends to settle into and accentuate dry patches. For instance, I experienced some dryness around my nose, typical during winter weather, where the foundation first wore off and later appeared somewhat flaky.

For those facing issues with foundation clinging or separating in specific areas of the face, I recommend carrying a touch-up brush for on-the-go adjustments. In such cases, gently buff the brush across your face to redistribute any excess product.

Should you encounter areas where the foundation has largely worn off, a simple tissue wipe followed by the application of fresh product using a clean or lightly used brush can help maintain a consistent look. The key is to avoid layering new foundation over old, which can result in a heavier appearance.

Overall, I can confidently affirm that this foundation lives up to its claims. By the end of the day, I still enjoyed excellent foundation coverage, and any unwanted shine was entirely absent. Despite having an oily T-zone, my skin remained pleasantly matte throughout the day.

For a more rigorous test, I plan to put this foundation through a sweat test during my next workout session.

Alternatives

NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation

A highly regarded full-coverage liquid foundation renowned within the Sephora community for its radiant finish. Enriched with fruit extracts, this foundation not only provides coverage but also works to smooth the skin’s appearance over time. With 34 different shade options featuring a blend of undertones, NARS aims to mimic your skin’s natural tone for a tailored shade.

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Weightless Foundation SPF 15

This foundation stands out for being both oil-free and offering SPF coverage. It provides long-lasting wear with a natural finish, making it an excellent choice for dry skin or drier climates. The formula includes skin-loving ingredients to boost hydration and impart a healthy glow. While it offers 22 available shades, there is room for expansion to cater to very pale or deep skin tones.

Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation Mattifying Oil-Free

What makes this foundation unique is its liquid-to-powder feature, a fascinating innovation. Designed to offer all-day full-coverage wear for those with acne-prone and oily skin, Hourglass recommends applying it in small sections using a brush for optimal results. With 22 different shades, the range appears well-suited for light to medium skin tones, although more options for very light, medium/deep, and deep shades could enhance inclusivity.