Review - Urban Decay Surreal Skin Cream to Powder Foundation

A few bloggers have reviewed the new Surreal Skin Cream to Powder Foundation from Urban Decay over the last few weeks. (It's part of the new SS2010 collection, which is generally very awesome-looking.)

I've read their reviews with interest, but I must admit that their sage advice was not the deciding factor for me when I set my heart on it. The reason I wanted it, mainly, was that it had a jellyfish on the front. Also, (the clincher) a toadstool. So Urban Decay, if you're listening, the way to get me to buy things isn't marketing or product quality or even price, it's the addition of fauna and fungi art to your product packaging.

Now that's off my chest, on with the review. At £18 for 8g, this product is not especially cheap. The fill weight doesn't fill me with confidence re. it's longevity - I can see daily foundation-wearers hitting pan on this quite quickly, although to be fair a little goes a long way.

For me it's great, as I only wear foundation once in a while and would rather have something that'll get used up while it's still good rather than sit on a shelf going stale. However it's worth noting that if you want a real day-to-day workhorse foundation, this may work out as quite a pricey habit.

Read on for before-and-after pictures and my ultimate verdict.
The good news is that it's supremely comfortable to wear, and exceptionally smooth in texture. (Which is not surprising given how many silicone based ingredients it has. I lost count when I read the box.)

A few other reviewers have found that the included brush (which sits ergonomically in a little well under the pan) is a bit scratchy, and only good for touch-ups. I didn't find it scratchy at all, but the flat shape made it difficult to work with in awkward places like the crease of the nose or the eye area. Instead, I've been using a duo-fibre brush to apply with, swirling it on the surface of the pan and then buffing it onto the face. My brush is by Pout (RIP), but your MAC 288 or GOSH Stippling Brush will do the same job.



Here, I have sacrificed my womanly guile and mystique to bring you some before and after shots of my face with and without this foundation. You can see that in the before pic (right) I have uneven  red bits, freckles and (yes, o horror) some thread veins on my nose.

After a buff on with the Surreal Skin, I've achieved a much more even look (left pic) that isn't too powdery-looking. It gives a nice matte finish and sits easily on the skin, feeling natural and comfortable. Transfer is minimal, which is especially good for non-habitual foundation wearers like me who won't remember not to touch their face or hug those clad in black shirts, etc. while wearing it.

I've also found it works very well as an under-eye concealer, blending easily (the silicone again) when
applied with a fingertip. The ingetral mirror and sturdy construction make it a good choice for a weekend away or for handbag duty too.

Overall, I'm very pleased with this foundation and do not begrudge the £18 price at all. Especially since it has a jellyfish on it.