YSL All Hours Foundation | Foundation Friday

Foundation Friday

Feb 19

Hello and thank you for joining me! Today I will be sharing the fifth entry in my Foundation Friday series and we will be covering the YSL All Hours Full Coverage Matte Foundation. I have had this foundation for a bit and up to this point I have only worn it twice…. After testing this foundation over the last week, the lack of love I’ve shown this foundation seems like a crime! If this sounds interesting then keep reading for my favourite application, companion products, and who this will work best for.

Base Layer

If you have been following the Foundation Friday series on my YouTube channel, then you already know I am a huge advocate for proper skin prep before makeup application. With this foundation being a matte finish, I found prep to be especially essential as I don’t love a matte finish and I wanted this foundation to take on a more natural matte look.

This week I added a new hydrating step into my morning routine which is the Nature Republic Soothing and Moisture Aloe Vera 90% Toner, this has not only been a saving grace for this week to get the foundation finish that I want, but it’s also been my skin saviour, giving it that extra boost of hydration it was craving. I found that after adding it to my regular serum, moisturizer, and SPF routine, my makeup application looks so much better! I will go into more detail about the specific SPFs and primers I used this week in the Wear Test section.

Foundation Overview

I have really loved wearing this foundation this week! While it does lean more matte than I prefer, I can totally see myself reaching for this foundation when things begin to reopen and there are more occasions to get dressed up again.

I can safely say that I think if you like more sheer, skin-tint type foundation products then you might not love this product as it’s a light-medium to full coverage foundation. Despite this foundation having more coverage and being more matte than what I want in my everyday foundation product, I adore the way this foundation makes my skin look photoshop-perfected without looking thick or heavy on the skin.

Application Tips and Preferences

My favourite way to wear the YSL All Hours Foundation is to dot it around my face and then blend it out with a damp beauty sponge. Using a damp sponge does result in the sheerest level of application that I saw over the last week, but it really suited my personal aesthetic.

After the initial application, I like to use either a small brush or my finger to tap a small amount of the foundation over the areas where I want a little more coverage. I found that this foundation layers extremely well and it never looked heavy when I built up certain areas to get more coverage.

This week I am not sure what was going on but I was having a struggle with any product sticking to the very centre of the bridge of my nose; however, I’ve struggled with this from time to time over the past few years with many other products, so I will not hold it again this foundation.

Brushes

When it comes to coverage, you want to look at the brush you are using: The denser the brush, the higher level of coverage you will achieve. Some examples of brushes I love for different levels of coverage are:

damp beauty sponge, for light application,
MAC 187S, for medium coverage application,
MAC 170S, for full coverage application

Wear Test

I wore the YSL All Hours Full Coverage Matte Foundation every day for five days and while it wore really well each day there were some days that this foundation looked better than others and wore much longer.

Day 1 – Coppertone Pure & Simple SPF 50, Tatcha Silk Canvas Protective Face Primer, FARSÁLI Rose Gold Face Mist

For this application I used the MAC 187S brush and then blended it out with a damp beauty sponge. While I achieved a gorgeous medium coverage, I personally prefer more of a light natural finish. Personal preference aside, the foundation had a true matte finish that stayed perfectly matte until the 10-hour mark. Around 30 minutes into wearing this foundation, my right eye was epically watery for some reason, and all of the product came off right next to the outer corner of my eye, but this missing spot was only noticeable up close.

At 2.5 hours, the foundation settled slightly into some pores and my smile lines. At the four-hour mark, however, I was beyond shocked because this foundation had almost refreshed itself and it looked like a perfected, natural second skin. At 10 hours, I was beginning to get shiny in my T-zone and there was some minor settling into my smile lines. Finally at the 13.5-hour mark, there was some wear on the tip of my nose and product on my chin was beginning to separate.

Day 2 – La Roche-Posay Anthelios Dermo-Kids Lotion SPF 50+, Tatcha Liquid Silk Canvas, Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray

This application was done with my finger and a damp beauty sponge – I was beyond amazed at how amazing this foundation looked after the initial application, and used this method for all following days of testing.

At the six-hour mark, this foundation had worked its magic and it looked better than it initially did! I was less of a true matte and more of a natural matte – it brought so much joy to my heart as this is what I wish my natural skin looked like. At the 13-hour mark, there as a spot of product missing from the apple of my left cheek and there was a strange texture that had begun to manifest between my eyebrows, but this ended up being from the highlighter (see Mini Reviews for more details).

Day 3 – La Roche-Posay Anthelios Dermo-Kids Lotion SPF 50+, Beauty Blender THE LEVELER Primer, Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray

Once again… this foundation looked like perfection after initial application. The biggest difference was that the primer and foundation combined to create the most glorious, poreless perfected base with a natural matte finish. While the lack of texture was really unnatural looking, it was very reminiscent of the “social media beauty filter” look that we all secretly wish our skin looked like.

At 4.5 hours, it looked fabulous and smooth; it had begun to mix with my natural oils, which took the look from a natural matte to a natural (non-matte) finish and I couldn’t have been happier! At nine hours, there was some oil breaking through on my nose and forehead; areas where pores are larger became slightly more visible. Again, I don’t mind this as it plays into my ideal “no makeup” makeup look. Finally at 12 hours, there was a little settling at the corners of my nose but no other noticeable changes.

Day 4 – La Roche-Posay Anthelios Dermo-Kids Lotion SPF 50+, No Primer, Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray

Initial application was gorgeous as my sunscreen’s luminous finish mixed with the foundation’s matte finish to create the most gorgeous natural finish!

Overall skin texture was slightly blurred and oil stayed at bay until around the four hour mark when my nose become slightly shiny. At eight hours, my T-zone looked a little more shiny that I cared for, so I gave my face a quick blot with a tissue and dusted the Fenty Invisimatte Powder and my skin once again had that “my skin but better” look. Near the 11.5-hour mark the pores on my cheeks and nose were becoming more noticeable. At 13 hours, my shine was back and there was minor settling in the corner of my nose and smile lines.

Day 5 – Coppertone Pure & Simple SPF 50, La Mer Hydrating Illuminator, Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray

Today the foundation had more of a natural satin finish than a matte finish, which I liked. At the five-hour mark, there were no visible changes, however, the outer corners of my eyes felt a little tight and dry. At 11 hours, there were still no visible changes, however, the feeling of tightness had extended to my cheeks and forehead. Finally, at the 13-hour mark, the feeling of tightness had slightly diminished and for the most part everything looked and felt smooth! The only signs of wear I noticed was a tiny bit of separation around my smile lines and chin.

Is the YSL All Hours Full Coverage Matte Foundation Right for You?

If you are a lover of a fuller “glam” coverage for daily wear or if you want a gorgeous foundation with a natural matte finish for your special occasions, I think you will love this! I fee like if you have very dry skin then you will need to prep your skin well and I would suggest trying a combination of the Tatcha’s Dewy Skin Cream and Silk Canvas.

Downside of YSL’s All Hours Foundation

The biggest downside of this foundation would have to be the $74 CAD price tag for 0.84 fl. oz (24.8 ml)! At that price point, this foundation is firmly luxury-priced and one of the most expensive options in my collection. Also, with this foundation’s more matte finish and inclusion of denatured alcohol (third ingredient) might make this foundation less suitable for those with drier skin. This foundation also includes fragrance (15th ingredient), so if you are sensitive then I would avoid this foundation.

Mini Reviews!

Lancôme Effacernes Waterproof Concealer in 220 Light Buff

I have loved this concealer for many years now and my love’s still going strong! I feel like this is a great option if you want a full-coverage concealer that works fabulously under the eye without creasing or settling into any fine lines or wrinkles.

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter in #2

Considering how big the bottle is, I still cannot believe I am on my second one of this magical liquid highlighter. I have yet to find a product that highlights this fabulously and has this versatility without emphasizing texture. I love that this product works so well under, mixed into, or over foundation. It’s a true makeup workhorse that I think any makeup lover will love to have in their collection.

Natasha Denona Diamond & Blush Face Palette in 01 Darya

Funnily enough this is my first and only Natasha Denona product; and I got it from the sale section during the Sephora Winter Beauty Insider Sale, so I scored an extra 20% off the already low sale price. With the fabulous savings aside, I am still unsure how I feel about this product. Maybe the creams are stiffer because it’s possibly being phased out?

The Diamond Powder (bottom left) is a stunning warm champagne nude base with a silvery-white shimmer; however, on the skin it translates as pure sparkle. While it didn’t emphasize skin texture like some of the highlighters I’ve tried, it was still too sparkly for my taste.

Also, the Duo Glow (top right) is a stunning Duochrome-like colour that shifts from purply-pink to almost a rose gold. It is heavenly and it makes my heart go pitter-patter, but I am well aware that this shade isn’t the most wearable. Nonetheless, it is gorgeous (try it over your eyelid with a smoky brown kohl liner).

For me, this palette would be perfect without the Diamond Powder – I enjoyed using the other products – but that’s purely personal preference.

Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre in Translucent 1

It seems as if Chanel has changed the formula of this powder since I purchased it back in January 2020 and the new formula was released around May 2020. I am unsure how this new formula differs but once I run out of my beloved powder I will try the new formulation.

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Bronzer in 1

I cannot help but to laugh as I write this mini review because when I first bought this, I did not like it at all. Now that I have been able to play with this formula and colour, I really love it for days when I want a bronzer that harmonizes my look without adding a lot of colour. That being said, I think the shade 1 Fair might being a half a shade darker than my skin colour so the bronzing effect is very minimal.

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Powder in 1

I honestly feel like this powder doesn’t get enough love in the beauty world. Yes, it made waves at first for its “odd smell”; to me this smell is somewhere between rose and an earthy clay scent – I am strangely really into it! For me this powder gives my long-time holy grail buffing powder (Sisley Phyto-Poudre Libre in #1 Irisée) a run for its money as it’s $58 CAD vs $125 CAD. So, if the Sisley is not in your budget, maybe try the Charlotte; however, be cautious if you have a sensitivity to cornstarch as it’s the third ingredient. For me, I love both and you can’t go wrong with either of them.

Yves Saint Laurent Vernis à Lèvres Water Stain in 606 Rosewood Flow

This is an interesting lip stain formula as it gives the most sheer, gorgeous wash of colour and an almost waxy slip to the lips. That might sound strange but it’s a wonderful feeling and it has really decent longevity for such a sheer product. I think what I love most about it is that there is zero trace of stickiness!

Hopefully you found this Foundation Friday along with the additional mini reviews to be helpful and thank you for spending your time with me!

Warm Wishes,

Zack