Naya

Becca Zero No Pigment Collection, Review

becca cosmetics zero no pigment collection review

Foundation, reimagined

Foreword

This is clearly the most intriguing product launch of July 2020. Foundation and highlighter that have no color? Hopefully this review will shed light upon the new Becca Zero No Pigment Collection and explain what this whole concept is all about.

Curious? Then please keep on scrolling.

My Skin: dry, sensitive

About the Collection

Becca Zero No Pigment Collection currently includes two products: foundation and multi-purpose highlighter. Both formulas are free of silicones, alcohol, mineral oil and synthetic fragrance. These products are cruelty-free 🐇 and vegan🍃

The motto of the collection is "zero to hide" and "skin is amped up, not covered up", which gives you an idea of what the brand is trying to achieve here. Both products are geared towards people, who want to perfect the look of their complexion, yet without adding any extra coverage or tint to it.

Highlighter

Zero No Pigment Glass Highlighter For Face + Lip (24 USD; Made in Italy) - is a scent-free, crystal-clear gloss that can be used on your lips, high points of the face and lids.

It comes with a large doe-foot applicator and has an interesting gel-meets-balm kind of texture. Do not underestimate it! It is quite potent and little goes a long way. To ensure that I do not go overboard with it, I scoop out a small amount onto the back of my hand and take it from there. It blends out with ease and is best applied with fingertips.

This formula feels hydrating and uber comfortable on the lips. From my experience (when used in a moderate amount on the cheekbones) it won't bleed either. Although it is not sticky, it might crease on the lids when used on top of eyeshadows (then again, any eye gloss does that).

Verdict

This is a fun, multi-purpose gloss to play with if you are into that no shimmer/glitter, true GLASS skin look. I think it is a wonderful product for professional makeup artists, as it will be glorious for editorial photography. If you have that 90s clear gloss nostalgia, you might really enjoy this product too. Although I absolutely love a product like this (and you will definitely see it in action on my Instagram), I do wish the price was lower. Other than that I give it A

becca zero no pigment glass highlighter review

Foundation

Zero No Pigment Virtual Foundation (36 USD; Made in Korea) - claims to smooth and blur out the appearance of skin, while providing an all-day hydration and oil control.

Packaging: this product comes in a mattified glass jar, one that looks very sleek and modern. It has quite a "high-end" weight to it, which might not be practical for travels (and yet so perfect for your vanity table or bathroom cabinet). Each jar contains 30 ml/ 1.0 oz of product, so the price is pretty much the same as that of other high-end primers.

Formula & Texture: this is essentially a water-based gel formula infused with Hyaluronic Acid and Glycerin, both of which add that nice skincare element of hydration and "plumped up skin" effect. Just by looking at it, some might say that the product doesn't look too dissimilar to a clear pore-filling primer. However, the difference here is in the formula itself:

I find that Zero No Pigment Virtual Foundation has a much balmier texture that almost bursts into a cool, watery consistency once you tap it onto the face;
Unlike most pore-filling primers, this one doesn't have any silicone in it, which means it won't clog pores and cause breakouts;
Thanks to Hyaluronic Acid, it feels far more hydrating than other smoothing or blurring primers (especially compared to those that have more of a powdery finish).

becca zero no pigment virtual foundation review

Application: there is a noticeable (yet pleasant) cooling sensation upon application; like as a splash of fresh water on your face. It does go away once the product sets. I would describe the finish as natural-satin and not matte; one that gets a bit dewier as the day goes by. It has a plush, cushiony, non-sticky and weightless feel to it (almost as if you have applied a gel moisturizer). I do recommend using your fingers and patting/tapping this product into place, rather than massaging it in a circular motion. Be mindful of how much you apply. Similarly to any other gel formula, if you apply too much product, you might experience some pilling.

Although it is labeled as "virtual foundation", it can be used as a primer as well. Just give it a minute to get absorbed and go on top with your favorite base products. It plays well with other cream formulas.

Think of it as an additional hydrating layer, not a moisturizer substitution.

Wear: Zero No Pigment Virtual Foundation remains hydrating, weightless and comfortable all day long. My dry skin gets a bit more glowy after a while (never greasy or overly shiny). If you are on an oily side and wonder how well this formula controls oil production, I would definitely recommend starting with a sample first.

This is not one of those formulas that develops color or tint when it gets in contact with your skin. While it is smoothing, blurring and hydrating - it won't add any coverage to your complexion. Any discoloration, pigmentation, redness etc. will be still visible as it normally is with no makeup on.

Who will enjoy this product?

You might really like the new Zero No Pigment Virtual Foundation if you:

have clear skin with minor to no discoloration or imperfections and simply want to add a bit of a blurring "filter" effect;
do not like wearing foundation;
want to smooth over skin's texture in the most undetectable way possible;
look for a no-coverage base product that will smooth out your skin and wear well in hot/humid climate;
need a gym-friendly makeup product;
want a silicone-free/vegan pore minimizing primer alternative.

I also think this could be a great product for men, who do not wear makeup per se, but want a little smth-smth to perfect an appearance of their pores/skin texture. Also a good foundation alternative for teenage girls and boys, who want to experiment with makeup but do not need any heavy duty coverage.

I am wearing both Zero No Pigment Virtual Foundation and Zero No Pigment Glass Highlighter For Face + Lip on the photo above. Please swipe left to see the video portion. There are no filters or other base products on my face, aside from concealer under my eyes that covered dark circles.

Verdict

Frankly, I really like effortless makeup products like this. Since I train almost every day (I am a swimmer), I spend most of the time wearing little to no makeup. Zero No Pigment Virtual Foundation is good at enhancing the look of your bare skin. With surgical face mask on, I do not have to worry about smudging anything when I finally sit down to drink coffee or have a quick bite with friends (or dealing with breakouts later, since my skin is sensitive to silicone).

While it won't be everyone's cup of tea, there is still a room for a product like this in the beauty industry. It will be great for makeup artists working backstage, minimal makeup lovers and those who want a great smoothing primer (from my experience foundation looked ah-mazing on top of it).

Please remember that not everyone wants a high-coverage foundation or concealer and this is when a product like this shines. It does what it says it will and given the fact that it is made in Korea, I really get those poreless, natural K-beauty vibes from it. I enjoy this formula and give it A

As for my foundations, concealers and tinted moisturizers - these bad boys are not going anywhere. Zero No Pigment Virtual Foundation is simply a cool new friend I can hang out with on days when I do not want to wear a full faced makeup look.