Il Makiage Foundation Review: Is it Worth The Hype?

You dont need me to tell you just how popular the Il Makiage foundation is. Since the brand launched in the UK in 2020, there has been a perennial buzz around Woke Up Like This, with the remote shade-matching technology continuing to impress. Even a few years on, the beauty community remains in awe of

You don’t need me to tell you just how popular the Il Makiage foundation is. Since the brand launched in the UK in 2020, there has been a perennial buzz around Woke Up Like This, with the remote shade-matching technology continuing to impress. Even a few years on, the beauty community remains in awe of how a simple online quiz can not only provide you with a perfect shade match, but also take into account your skin type as well as your preferred finish. See for yourself: at the time of publishing, the famed base product has 464,734 five-star reviews (and counting), as well as a cool 11.1 million views on the “Il Makiage Foundation” hashtag on TikTok

The magic lies in its innovative formula, which claims to instantly reduce the appearance of shadows and pores to even out the skin tone – all the while promising a streak-free application and medium-to-full coverage finish. Keen to see what all the fuss was about, I decided – by way of public service – to put the Il Makiage foundation to the ultimate test and see if it’s genuinely just as great as it claims to be. (Clue: it is). As a sucker for a foundation with a skin-like finish, I couldn’t have been more excited to try it out. 

SKIP TO: Packaging | Product Deep-Dive | Shade Matching | GLAMOUR Road Test | Final Thoughts

Il Makiage foundation review: at a glance 

  • GLAMOUR star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
  • Pros: impressive coverage, features 50 shades, not patchy, lovely skin-like finish.
  • Cons: on the more expensive side.
  • Price: £39.
  • Our verdict: Overall, I found that it was surprisingly long-lasting, hydrating and felt super lightweight throughout the day. For everyday wear, one pump gave me more than enough coverage that carried me through a full day, without sliding off or separating. Plus, the online quiz paired me with the most perfect shade match. Not to be dramatic, but it might just be my new staple.
Woke Up Like This Foundation£39 at Il Makiage

Meet the reviewer: Denise Primbet, GLAMOUR's Beauty Commerce Writer

I'm Denise and I'm a die-hard makeup obsessive. Having tested tonnes of products for the countless articles that I've written for GLAMOUR, I believe I know a thing or two about what makes a foundation good. 

On a normal day, I tend to finish my makeup by around 7am before heading to the office – after which point, my makeup has to withstand a lot: running when changing platforms on the tube, the windy weather that's so typical for London, reformer pilates classes, press events and countless GLAMOUR meetings. As such, my quest for a foundation which can hold its own through all of the above has, until this point, been an on-going one. Here are a few more nuggets of information about me that might come in handy:

  • My skin type: Dry. 
  • My skin tone: Fair.
  • My undertone: Neutral. 
  • My Il Makiage foundation shade: 020.

Il Makiage foundation review: the packaging

Believe it or not, packaging can make all the difference when it comes to whether or not you'll find me enthusing about a foundation formula. I can't even begin to describe how many times my foundation has spilled while travelling, so ensuring that the product-in-question has a sturdy lid that can close firmly is paramount for me. 

Luckily, the Woke Up Like This foundation features exactly that. My only complaint is that you have to put a bit of force into it to make sure that it's fully closed, which probably makes it less accessible.

Otherwise, the packaging definitely echoed its luxurious price tag: everything from the matte glass-like bottle to the standout sleek design made me want to proudly display it on my vanity table. I'd say that the size is standard for a foundation bottle. Containing 30ml of product inside, it can easily fit inside most makeup bags and it's small enough to store in your makeup drawer.

Product deep dive: formula, consistency & ingredients

Full disclosure: I stan for complexion products that have a lightweight feel yet deliver just enough coverage to mask the redness on my cheeks, and that's exactly what the Il Makiage foundation promises to achieve. But before I spill everything about my experience, let's break down the formula.

First thing to note is that it's water-based and oil-free, meaning it won't clog your pores. A little tip: make sure that you're using a water-based primer or a moisturiser, otherwise the product might separate. It also features optically-corrective powders, aimed to blur fine lines, redness and blemishes. As for the ingredients, the 100% cruelty-free formula is enriched with high-grade skincare components, including vitamin E and hyaluronic acid, both of which will keep your skin nice and hydrated throughout the day (and as a dry skinned gal, this is music to my ears).

I found that, upon application, the Il Makiage foundation feels incredibly weightless. Seriously: not the slightest sign of caking whatsoever. The consistency is somewhere in between liquid and cream, which is definitely a win in my book. But most of all, I appreciated the buildable coverage: I love when I have the room to experiment, and having the option to go for a lighter base vs. full glam is a must. Personally, I found that one pump is more than enough for everyday wear, and if I was going for an out-out look, I would add a few extra pumps.

To be completely honest, going into this review, I was a teeny bit sceptical about the matte finish. As someone who has dry skin, I normally opt for foundations with a dewy and radiant finish so as to avoid getting those dreadful dry patches. But against all odds, I was impressed. Yes, it's a bit more on the matte side, but it's also super natural-looking and not drying at all. If anything, it genuinely has that “my skin but better” effect.

Il Makiage foundation review: shade matching

It wouldn't exactly be an Il Makiage foundation review without discussing the virtual shade-matching quiz now, would it? In case you're unfamiliar, the quiz starts by asking you what your skin type is (dry, oily, combination and so on) and what sort of coverage and finish you're looking for. It then gets you to select pictures of your nearest skin tone. 

Next, it will help you figure out your undertone by getting you to determine the colour of the veins on your wrist, before asking whether you burn or tan easily, how you prep your skin and how often you wear makeup and gets you to select the brand of foundation you're currently using before getting you to select any skin concerns that you may have. After all that (phew) it finally shows you the perfect shade to purchase. See? I told you it was thorough. 

To be honest, my initial reaction was also “ugh, seriously? This is so unnecessary; just let me eyeball it!” Not to worry, it actually only took a couple of minutes (if even). Although I wasn't sure about the results, my mind was absolutely and wholeheartedly blown once I tried to swatch the product for the very first time. Speaking from experience, when it comes to complexion products, online shopping almost never results in a perfect match – always a few shades darker/lighter or more yellow/pink-ish than you'd prefer. Considering that the quiz only took a fraction of my time the final result was so worth it.

Speaking of shades, I was beyond impressed to discover that this foundation also comes in 50 shades, which is one of the most inclusive shade collections that I've seen. So rest assured, there's definitely one that fits you. 

GLAMOUR road test: 15 (!) hour wear

Prior to applying, I made sure to prep my skin with my favourite moisturiser (Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream – IYKYK), gave it a minute or so to absorb and then went right it with my trusty foundation brush (in my case, I was using the Clinique Buff Brush). 

Right off the bat, the application was super smooth and even and most importantly, streak-free. Normally, I would go over the base with my beauty blender to get rid of any brush stroke traces, but this time, I didn't end up using one. Almost immediately, the finish was to my taste: a perfect match, my freckles were still showing, and my natural glow was peeking through beautifully.

I always say that you can tell a lot about a foundation based on how well it works with your other makeup products. Some tend to separate and become patchy, but I didn't really experience anything like this with the Il Makiage foundation. My cream blush and bronzer melted right in, resulting in a seamless blend. It also worked well with my setting powder (though I'd like to note that I tend to only set my under-eyes). 

To put the product's longevity to the test thoroughly, I decided to document my experience on a typical working day. On the day that I was testing the product, I had a particularly busy day that ended with a late press event, meaning I got back home around 9:30pm. I did a final makeup check-in around an hour later and noticed that although it definitely looked “fresh”, my base was still very much intact. The only complaint I had? My T-zone had turned a little bit oily, but honestly, not enough to bother me. Considering that this was the result that I got without a setting spray, it's safe to say that I'm pretty pleased.

Il Makiage foundation review: final thoughts

All-in-all, I can confidently say that I was genuinely impressed with how well this foundation worked for me. Starting from the shade-matching process to the packaging, application and the wear, it seemed as though this product managed to exceed all of my expectations. It's worth noting that this foundation is considerably pricier than other options on the market, and since makeup is extremely subjective, you should keep in mind that just because it turned out great for me, your experience might be different. 

Woke Up Like This Foundation£39 at Il Makiage

Would you give Il Makiage's Woke Up Like This foundation a go? Have you already tried it? Let us know your thoughts over on Instagram @glamouruk.

For more beauty content from GLAMOUR UK's Beauty Commerce Writer Denise Primbet, follow her on Twitter @deniseprimbet and Instagram @deniseprimbet.

15 best foundation brushes, according to our beauty editorsGallery16 PhotosView Gallery

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qLjApqauqp2WtKLGyKecZ5ufY8Kse8Crq6KbnJp8qriMppikoZGcsm6yzq6lnZmknryvedGeraKdpw%3D%3D

 Share!