L'Oreal Blur Foundation SPF 25; Review & Swatches of Shades

L'Oreal Visible Lift Blur Foundation SPF 25

New for Fall 2014

Price: $14 for 1 ounce

Complete with "Opti-Blur" Technology, L'Oreal's newest addition to their foundation line up promises to take HD to a whole new level...

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Basically, L'Oreal Visible Lift Blur Foundation promises to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles over time (as with all products in the L'Oreal Visible Lift line), but Blur also has "opti-blur technology" which is supposed to help create a "soft-focus" effect. 

Nothing is new or revolutionary about these claims, its just a spin on the whole "high definition" trend we've been seeing in recent years. While there are some trivial differences, essentially, Visible-Lift Blur is simply L'Oreal's version of sister company Lancome's Photogenic Lumessence Foundation.

Between the two versions, I actually prefer L'Oreal's. My biggest complaint with Lancome Photogenic Lumessence was that the shades weren't bright enough, they all had a dingy ashy, beige color. Unfortunately, L'oreal went the other direction with the shade range, (at least the lighter shades,) as they are exceptionally bright. They're so bright infact, that if you have lighter skin, I wouldn't recommend using this for more than medium coverage or you'll risk looking unnatural, and unfortunately, like Lancome's version, Visible Lift Blur also lacks sufficient UVA protection.*

Performance and consistency of Visible Lift Blur are both actually impressive. It maintains its mousse like texture which feels moisturizing initially, but dries to a powdery finish (thanks to the large blend of silicones) and has a hint of sheen, yet manages to look convincingly natural. The lightweight silicones used to give this foundation its consistency are not the best at absorbing oil, so this is best for those with normal-slightly oily or slightly dry skin who don't have severe imperfections or also use a concealer.

Texture of Visible Lift Blur is like a watered down version of Tarte's Full Coverage Foundation, so you won't easily get more than medium coverage out of Visible Lift Blur Foundation. Estee Lauder's new Perfectionist Foundation is comparable in terms of the satin (yet powdery & not dewy) finish, but a superior option is Urban Decay's Naked Skin Weightless Foundation which is Cruelty Free, or, Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation which is currently Cruelty Free (that may be subject to change in the future.)

Any skincare benefit L'Oreal claims to offer with Visible Lift Blur is virtually non existent, so there is no reason to pay the higher than average price at the drugstore; overall, Visible Lift Blur is not a bad product, but its not spectacular and there are better options in the drugstore for everyone regardless of their skin type!

*UVA protection is absolutely crucial. The FDA rates SPF but an SPF rating applies only to UVB ratings. The only active ingredient in this foundation is Oxinate which is only suitable for protection against UVB rays. The way I remember the difference is UVB=Burning and UVA=Aging and you need to ensure you have suitable protection against both types of UV rays so if you consider this foundation, you MUST use an additional source of sun protection with it!

L'Oreal Visible Lift Blur Foundation SPF 25 Swatches of Shades:
201 Light Ivory, 202 Classic Ivory, 203 Nude Beige

L'Oreal Visible Lift Blur Foundation SPF 25 Swatches of Shades:
201 Light Ivory, 202 Classic Ivory, 203 Nude Beige

L'Oreal Visible Lift Blur Foundation SPF 25 Swatches of Shades:
204 Creamy Natural, 205 Natural Buff, 206 Natural Beige