Marc Jacobs
Super Charged Genius Gel Foundation- (Oil Free)
New for Fall 2013
Price: $52 per ounce
CRUELTY FREE!!!
Marc Jacobs has made quite a splash with his dive into the cosmetic pool, and his most talked about complexion product is undoubtedly his Super Charged Genius Gel Foundation, but how does it hold up to the competition?
I know I mentioned it in my review of Marc Jacob's Re(Marc)able Full Cover Concealer, but I was so very hesitant and had such an initial aversion to Marc Jacob's makeup line. I'm not sure why, but I'm blaming Calvin Klein & his CK One Cosmetic Line which tests on animals and the complexion products are just blehhh! I'm sure that's not the first bought of competition the two legendary clothing designers have had, but as far as cosmetics are concerned, Marc Jacobs wins- HANDS DOWN! That being said, Genius Gel Super Charged Foundation does have a couple of minor hiccups...
The Super Charged Genius Gel Foundation touts some very over inflated claims, but for the most part, they aren't too specific and just generally promise to:
"Erase the past, perfect the present & protect the future;" sounds phenomenal doesn't it? I wish it were even remotely possible, but its not. Perhaps Marc Jacobs is referring to the foundation's coverage giving the illusion of younger, healthier skin? That would be a reasonable claim!
Calling the foundation a gel, or saying that it has Buoyancy Gel Technology isn't actually a far stretch because Super Charged Genius Gel Foundation IS a Dimethicone/water based foundation.
This differs slightly from what you'd find with a typical oil-free/long-wearing foundation formula like Estee Lauder Double Wear which is Cyclopentasiloxane based. The difference between the two silicones is that Cyclopenasiloxane will set/dry when exposed to air, Dimethicone on the other hand, leaves a powdery finish and is what you'd expect to see in a liquid-powder formula like YSL Fusion Ink or Maybelline Dream Wonder Fluid Touch, but Super Charged Gel Foundation is a bit thicker than either of those options, (probably because Marc Jacobs left out the damaging alcohol.)
The finish of Genius Gel Foundation is a natural matte, and coverage is in the medium range, with both buildability and sheerability (auto-correct is going to love those words) for those of us wanting light or fuller coverage. It will keep oil moderately under control, but if you have severe oily skin, you may find you need to set it with powder or blot after a few hours. If you have dry skin you will probably want to moisturize before hand, but formula wise, Super Charged Genius Gel is a great example of the direction foundations are headed, and a less extreme version of a liquid-powder, oil free formula.
Genius Gel is available in 16 shades which range from fair-deep, so most skintones will find a suitable match. There is a fairly big jump from 10 Ivory Light to 16 Ivory Medium, but I'm just being nit picky.
Oxidation is virtually none existent, and as you can see in the pictures below, the formula remained true to color in all shades for upwards of 24 hours- no small feat!
One caveat of Marc Jacobs Genius Gel is that it is moderately fragranced. The scent does dissipate as you wear it, but it could be cause for concern so its something to be aware of.
Overall, Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Super Charged Oil Free Foundation is a decent foundation performance wise, but the anti aging claims are heavily overstated and any beneficial ingredients are in insignificant quantities. What is disappointing, is the inclusion of fragrance and the price, but if you don't mind spending money on foundation or you want a liquid-powder formula, it is worth it to get a sample at your local Sephora.
If you're one who's looking for a great deal and/or you have oily skin, check out Marc Jacobs Marvelous Mousse Transformative Foundation. His marvelous mousse is a much more impressive formula and has a very reasonable price per gram. Both Marc Jacobs Marvelous Mousse Transformative Foundation and his Super Charged Genius Gel Foundation work beautifully with Marc Jacobs Re(Marc)able Full Cover Concealer.
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| Marc Jacobs Super Charged Genius Gel Foundation Review & Swatches of Shades 10 Ivory Light, 14 Ivory Medium, 22 Bisque Light, 26 Bisque Medium, 32 Beige Light, 34 Beige Medium, 38 Beige Deep, 42 Golden Light, 44 Golden Medium, 46 Golden Deep, 62 Fawn Light, 64 Fawn Medium, 66 Fawn Deep, 82 Cocoa Light, 84 Cocoa Medium, 86 Cocoa Deep |
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| Marc Jacobs Super Charged Genius Gel Foundation, Oil Free; Swatches of Shades 10 Ivory Light, 14 Ivory Medium, 22 Bisque Light, 26 Bisque Medium, 32 Beige Light, 34 Beige Medium, 38 Beige Deep, 42 Golden Light, 44 Golden Medium, 46 Golden Deep, 62 Fawn Light, 64 Fawn Medium, 66 Fawn Deep, 82 Cocoa Light, 84 Cocoa Medium, 86 Cocoa Deep |
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| Marc Jacobs Super Charged Genius Gel Foundation, Oil Free; Swatches of Shades 10 Ivory Light, 14 Ivory Medium, 22 Bisque Light, 26 Bisque Medium, 32 Beige Light, 34 Beige Medium, 38 Beige Deep, 42 Golden Light, 44 Golden Medium, 46 Golden Deep, 62 Fawn Light, 64 Fawn Medium, 66 Fawn Deep, 82 Cocoa Light, 84 Cocoa Medium, 86 Cocoa Deep |
The Genius Gel is a nice light to light-medium coverage foundation. it works best for people who have great skin to begin with. I've had people with dry skin tell me it clings to patches of skin so beware. I like it b/c when worn I get told I have very nice skin. The price is too high for the performance and I ultimately ended up going with the Mousse version. I didn't realize MJ was cruelty free, but I'm excited to inform my clients! Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteGood point about the dry patches, I totally forgot to mention that.
DeleteI agree 100% that the transformative mousse is much better for price AND performance. the mousse is 2x the price of studio tech but you get 2x the product whereas the super gel is just expensive for 1 ounce.
I past over MJ for 6 months b/c I assumed they were tested on animals, and was totally shocked they were cruelty free too!
Thanks for commenting!
looking for Fawn #64 make up to order
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