MUA Pro Base Long Wear Matte Finish Foundation

I usually focus on foundations that provide a bit of glow, and very rarely allow anything mattifying into my routine as my skin can look really dry under a matte finish, but the MUA Pro Base Long Wear Matte Finish Foundation has been getting a lot of wear recently as the hot weather has resulted in an often shiny face that has actually benefited from a matte foundation.

The first big surprise from the MUA Pro Base Long Wear Matte Finish Foundation launch is the impressive range of shades.  There are 24 in total, with some really pale and really dark shades and various undertones, so you should be able to find your perfect fit.  My match is shade 110, which is a slightly yellow-leaning, pale shade that’s the fifth palest in the collection.  I also have shades 102 and 120, and to be honest I can make both work too, although 110 is the closest.  102 is a little more neutral and 120 is a little more pink, and all three sit fairly close together shade-wise.

The coverage of the MUA Pro Base Long Wear Matte Finish Foundation is really good – medium to a medium-full, not quite full but definitely provides a lot of coverage and you only need a little bit of touching up with concealer afterwards.  It’s a really good take on a matte foundation as the finish isn’t flat or cakey, more like it just mattifies the skin and stops you looking overly shiny – it keeps shine at bay rather than taking it away completely.

I have two main matte foundations that I actually like, the Bobbi Brown Skin Long-Wear Foundation (that I reviewed here) and the only major difference between the two is that the BB one has an SPF, but as it’s only SPF15 I would still wear an SPF underneath, so to be honest, there’s very little between the two and I think the fact that the MUA one is just a fiver (currently on special at £4) is very impressive! I also really like the spatula style applicator, which allows you to decant a small amount on to the back of your hand.  A pump would be better, but there’s something quite fun about spatula packaging!

There’s also a matching concealer, the MUA Pro Base Concealer, which is available in 25 matching shades and, whilst I wouldn’t say it’s as good as the foundation, it does work really well alongside it, providing a touch more coverage wherever you need it.  The formula is creamy, but it isn’t full coverage on its own.  I quite like it for under the eyes as it’s milky and blends well.  It’s still a bargain at £2.50 (currently £2) and I like the fact that there’s such a good shade range that compliments the foundation.

If you’d like an oil-controlling foundation that doesn’t look flat and provides a good level of coverage, I’d really recommend giving the MUA Pro Base Long Wear Matte Finish Foundation a go as this is a real budget find that contends impressively with products that cost 4-5 times as much.  Both products are available now and are currently on special offer directly through the MUA site.