Becca Ultimate Coverage Creme Foundation; Review & Swatches of Shades

Becca Ultimate Coverage Complexion Cream Foundation

New for Spring 2014

Price: $44 per ounce

CRUELTY FREE!!!

Becca has started popping up in Ulta stores lately and I for one and ecstatic. They have a great range of shades and a great line of complexion products, the newest of which is Becca's Full Cover Foundation - the Ultimate Performance Complexion Creme!

Becca Ultimate Performance Complexion Creme is (obviously) a Full Coverage Foundation.

I immediately noticed formulary similarities between Becca Ultimate Coverage and Kat Von D Lock-It Foundation. Both formulas are extremely similar in almost every aspect and this was obvious immediately but it wasn't until I read Becca's claims of 21% pigment that I really laughed because they are nearly identical to the claims made by Von D, right down to the 21% pigment and promises of full coverage! 

The ingredients between the two formulas are comparable as well and one could certainly be considered a dupe for the other if the prices weren't nearly the same and both companies weren't Cruelty Free already. This is just something to note if you've tried Kat Von D's Foundation and love it then you will likely adore Becca's Ultimate Coverage Foundation as well, and this could be exceptionally helpful if you were unable to find a suitable match with Lock-It- you will undoubtedly find one with Becca Ultimate Cover Foundation.

The formula of Becca Ultimate Coverage Complexion Creme isn't the thickest cream in the world but you can immediately feel the richness and density of the formula. Make no mistake- the Ultimate Coverage Creme is designed for those seeking the fullest of full coverage, not for people who want medium/full coverage or a quick one-step-effortless foundation. Ultimate Cover is for people who have legitimate issues that need to be concealed the severe acne, rosacea, hyper pigmentation, port wine stains, (even tattoos); all of which can be concealed with Ultimate Coverage but will require a little bit of time and patience to get the hang of it.

The nice thing about these very full-coverage foundations is that they are similar to your traditional long-wearing foundation but they have some principal differences. Your basic long-wearing foundation will often start liquidy and set to a strong matte finish which can often appear cakey if you attempt to build coverage (especially if you try to apply multiple thin layers). 

These relatively new full coverage formulas on the other hand, retain their initial consistency a bit more than a lomg-wearing formula, which allows them to be built up in thin layers until desired coverage is achieved. The tricky part that can take some getting used to is undoubtedly learning how to blend each layer.

Find Your Best Match!

Becca is known for having shades ranges that will suit every skintone under the sun; and their Ultimate Coverage Foundation is no exception with their staggering range of 20 shades that are sure to match anyone with fair to very deep skin! 

Porcelain is a very good match for me, but I prefer yellow-slightly peach undertones instead of pink so I mix 50/50 Porcelain & Shell. The slight olive in Shell neutralized the pink in Porcelain and I end up with a very light (appears lighter than either shade actually) version of Sand which would otherwise be too deep for me.

Prepping is Key!

Even if you have oily skin, you'll probably want to moisturize well before using Becca Ultimate Foundation (or any comparable full coverage foundation.) The reason for this, is because of the tenacious texture and the formulas tendency to "grab" and adhere to the skin, you want to ensure that you allow yourself enough time to blend properly. 

Silicone primers may prove sufficient if they have moisturizing properties but if your primer is formulated to absorb excess oil and moisture it may actually speed up the drying of the Ultimate Coverage Complexion Creme making blending a difficult (if not impossible task.)

If you have dry skin, you surely want to moisturize and moisturize very well prior to application. Until you get the hang of things, you may even want to mix a little of your moisturizer in with the Ultimate Coverage Complexion Cream to help you smooth things out. If you have dry patches, you'll want to play around and see what works best for you but you shouldn't have too much of an issue with clinging on dry patches.

Practice Makes Perfect!

Kat Von D always uses a foundation brush when she applies her foundation, but the reality is that no matter what you think of her, she is very adapt at using a brush and painting, so that probably isn't the best method for fool-proof application.

I had a very difficult time when I first got Lock-It Foundation using a standard foundation brush so I began using my fingers and eventually I moved on to a beauty blender or other sponge which works well and reduces my tendency to over apply (which is a very problematic habit for formulas like this!) I usually end up applying with my fingers or a flat top buffing brush then blotting with a sponge.

The problem with formulas like this, is that they can exacerbate pores if they're not applied correctly. 

Using a silicone primer underneath can help but it can also make the problem worse. 

Think of it this way: if you're buttering an English muffin and you try to use cold, thick butter, you're not going to successfully get the butter into the nooks and crannies and they'll end up being more visible than they were on the naked muffin. Instead you have two choices; you can either use warm butter or a warm muffin; either of which will help the now-thin-butter sink into each and every crevice! A silicone primer underneath can really go either way as far as helping or hindering application but the thicker and drier it is, the more likely it will be to make application difficult.

Your best bet for ultimate oil control, is to use a setting powder or silicone powder alternative like Mally Poreless Face Defender to set Becca Complexion Cream. This way your pores are already "filled in" so to speak and you have a smooth canvas which just needs to be set to send you on your way. Just note that if you have normal-dry skin you probably won't need to set anything immediately. If anything, you may want to re-hydrate your skin later in the day with some kind of moisturizing spray to keep the "just applied" appearance.

There is some debate over whether or not you should apply setting powder between coats of foundation. This is something I personally can't seem to master because once I've applied powder, I'm not going to have an easy time applying another coat of foundation in a thin, even manner, but some people swear that this is the only way to sufficiently cover things like tattoos and guarantee that the makeup won't slide off. 

Again, the best thing I can say is play around and see what works best for you. The good news is that its highly unlikely you will need more than two thin coats of Becca's Ultimate Coverage Foundation for anything- even tattoos!

Becca Ultimate Coverage Complexion Creme Foundation Swatches of Shades;
Porcelain, Shell, Sand, Cashmere, Buff, Noisette, Olive, Bamboo, Fawn,
Cafe, Amber, Tobacco, Sienna, Mink, Sandalwood, Mahogany, Cacao,

Becca Foundation/Ultimate Coverage Complexion Creme, Swatches of Shades;
Porcelain, Shell, Sand, Cashmere, Buff, Noisette, Olive, Bamboo, Fawn,
Cafe, Amber, Tobacco, Sienna, Mink, Sandalwood, Mahogany, Cacao,

Becca Ultimate Coverage Complexion Creme Foundation Swatches of Shades;
Porcelain, Shell, Sand, Cashmere, Buff, Noisette, Olive, Bamboo, Fawn,
Cafe, Amber, Tobacco, Sienna, Mink, Sandalwood, Mahogany, Cacao,

Ingredients:

Becca Ultimate Coverage Complexion Creme Foundation  Ingredients:

Dimethicone, Water, Phenyl Trimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Peg/Ppg-18/18 Dimethicone, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Polysilicone-11, Silica Dimethicone Silylate, Butylene Glycol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Isododecane, Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Methicone, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Calcium Carbonate, Trihydroxystearin, Potassium Sorbate, Methylpropanediol, Disodium Edta, Caprylhydroxamic Acid. May Contain/ Peut Contenir [+/-]: Ci 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Ci 77492 (Iron Oxides), Ci 77491 (Iron Oxides), Ci 77499 (Iron Oxides).

Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo Foundation Ingredients

Water, Dimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Polysilicone-11, Butylene Glycol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Silica Dimethicone Silylate, Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Isododecane, Sodium Chloride, Methicone, Glyceryl Caprylate, Calcium Carbonate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Trihydroxystearin, Potassium Sorbate, Methylpropanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Disodium EDTA, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides.