Naya

UOMA Beauty Say What?! Foundation, Review

Complexion makeup junkies, this one is for you!

Foreword

Not sure what took me so long, but I am finally ready to chat about UOMA Beauty most coveted product - Say What?! Foundation.

Curious? Then please keep on scrolling

My Skin: dry, sensitive (light, neutral)

About the Product

Say What?! Weightless Soft Matte Hydrating Foundation (39 USD; Made in Italy) - is described as the "next generation" foundation, which is available in six custom formulas to cater to unique needs of different skin color groups. It claims to have: adjustable coverage, vibrant matte/blurring finish and great lasting power.

This product is cruelty free 🐇 and vegan🍃 (as well as paraben-, talc-free)

Packaging: Say What?! Foundation comes in a mattified (a bit weighty) glass bottle with a pump and plastic cap. The color of the cap speaks of a particular shade family, hence it will differ from bottle to bottle.

UOMA Beauty foundation is available in 51 shades, which are split into six groups:

Black Pearl (turquoise cap) - for dark brown skin
Brown Sugar (orange cap) - for brown skin
Bronze Venus (yellow cap) - for rich tan skin
Honey Honey (pink cap) - for olive skin
Fair Lady (blue cap) - for fair skin
White Pearl (lilac cap) - for very fair skin

Formula: Sharon Chuter, the brand's founder, believes that every skin color family has its own unique needs. While most brands just give us one foundation in multiple shades [yet with the same formula] UOMA Beauty is here to cater to your skin color group specifically. This is why they have created six different formulas of Say What?! Foundation, not only in accordance with your skin color, but also your skincare preferences. This way the brand looks at common concerns within each group individually.

This approach is quite new to me (needless to say - I was instantly intrigued by the idea) and I do not think I have come across any other brand with a concept similar to this one.

For example my shade match Fair Lady T1N has Aglianico Grape Marc Extract that should help induce Hyaluronic Acid synthesis and stimulate collagen production. At the same time someone, whose shade match is Black Pearl T2W, will get a formula with Tomato Extract that should help brighten dull skin and further protect it from free radicals.

Scent: a very faint, makeup-y fragrance that is hardly noticeable.

Texture: Say What?! Foundation is a water-based formula, which has a very liquidy/runny texture (similar to MAC Studio Face & Body Foundation). It is quite saturated in pigment at the same time and thanks to its watery nature, it can be sheered out or layered for a higher coverage. You are the boss here.

Application: I prefer a sponge with this formula, but a densely packed synthetic brush works just fine too. Since it is so runny, I suggest dotting it on first and then blending it out from the center of the face outwards. Make sure to give the bottle a really good shake before use. Little goes a very long way!

This formula layers and blends out with ease, but might sometimes stick to drier areas. I have a few enlarged pores on my nose and on my very dry days this foundation would accentuate them slightly. If you are dry or very dry, I would recommend using either a hydrating primer underneath it or adding an extra [light] layer of your favorite moisturizer right before application (especially during colder months or much dreadful Sahara skin days).

Other makeup products (both creams and powders) play extremely well with Say What?! Foundation. Everything applies with ease on top of it.

Shade Match: every color family within Say What?! Foundation range is split into three undertones - C (cool), N (neutral), W (warm).

Say you have light-medium/olive skin with warm undertones. Your shade would be Honey Honey T1W (not just T1W).

❗️ Please pay attention to the actual label of the color group (i.e. White Pearl, Fair Lady etc.) because numbers and letters do repeat. For example "T2W" can be seen across all six groups, so it is important to check whether it is Honey Honey T2W that you are about to buy or actually White Pearl T2W. I am sure you guys are smart enough to notice the difference, but I still thought to mention that in case there was any confusion.

I bought UOMA Beauty foundation online, without seeing any swatches first. The brand offers a very user-friendly Shade Finder guide, which helped me find my match in no time. Fair Lady T1N fits me perfectly, but is a touch more yellow than all of my other "neutral-toned" foundations. The closest color twin I found in my collection was NARS Radiant Longwear Foundation in Deauville Light 4.

Wear: once Say What?! Foundation is applied it feels weightless and looks just like your skin, having that very natural satin finish. Without any powder, it gets quite dewy on my dry skin around 5-6th hour mark, which is something I actually like. If you are on combination/oily side, you might want to set it with your favorite powder and I do not think there should be any issues as far as the actual wear goes. This is quite a long-lasting formula; I haven't noticed any color fade or blotches even after 8-10 hours of wearing it. The shade I use does not oxidize or set darker in tone.

Although I would not call this formula that hydrating, it is not drying either. I feel like with a proper prep (skincare + primers) it will suit a plethora of different skin types. If your skin has some dry patches or texture, make sure to exfoliate/hydrate it in a way that works best for your skin type prior to application. In my opinion this foundation looks best when it is sheered out or applied lightly.

Here wearing shade Fair Lady T1N (no powder; shot in natural daylight)

Who is going to like it?

If you are on a hunt for a long-wearing foundation (vegan, cruelty-free) with an adjustable coverage (and a ton of shades to choose from), I think you might really like it. Even if this entire "skin color = skin type" concept makes no sense to you (say you have fair yet extremely oily skin and not dry as the brand suggests), I am here to assure you that these added unique ingredients are listed towards the very bottom of the list, which ultimately means that their actual content is low. This makes me believe that this aspect should not affect your product experience massively, unless you are allergic or sensitive to any of the highlighted ingredients.

Although I can see how Say What?! Foundation should work for most skin types, especially normal or combination, I do not recommend this product to people with very dry skin. If you have dry skin, but want something more hydrating and perhaps even dewy - please check Best Foundations For Dry Skin article here.

Aside from that, this foundation photographs and looks beautiful in real life, which makes me think that it could be a great option for brides or people, who want their skin to look that extra bit flawless.

Verdict

Say What?! Foundation is a nicely formulated product that [I believe] many people will enjoy. With the right prep it can look great, however, I do not think that it is as hydrating as it is portrayed to be (especially given the fact that Fair Lady range should be quite hydrating in theory). And while it did not replace my holy grail favorites (I have other foundations that look incredible on my skin type and require no primers), I like just how easily I can sheer it out to make it appear second skin-like. Its lighter than air feel and a wide shade range with a plethora of tones and undertones to choose from is yet another bonus. Overall, I give it B