YSL Fusion Ink foundation review

YSL Fusion Ink foundation is one of my favourite foundations ever. Like many products of innovative nature this has arisen controversy and divided beauty lovers into admirers and haters. Well, we're all different, our skin types and needs vary and there's no universal suit-all product. Even myself, even though I love this foundation with all my heart, I don't reach for it every day and on every occassion.

So what is this wonder product and what is all the hype about?

It comes in a classy, angular bottle with a golden  top which you take off to reveal the actual screw-on cap which carries the unusual and much discussed applicator. This is neither a dispenser nor a dropper, but a flat, tear-shaped wand. Many people have complained about its impracticality and lack of hygiene. Some reviewers have noticed some liquid dripping on the floor, some believed their own faces to be too gross to touch so applied the product to the back of their hands and then transferred it onto their faces.

Call me weird, but I've had none of these issues when using the product. I apply my foundation by drawing stripes on my face with the applicator provided and then blend with a brush. This method keeps my hands clean and makes the process of application and blending nice and easy. I don't have any acne and I wash my face before I apply make-up, so I don't believe it's any dirtier or fuller of bacteria than my hands or brushes. I haven't noticed any breakouts or any other negative consequences of this method of application. 

My skin is in fairly good condition, the reason why I use foundation is to conceal redness, that's why I hardly ever need more than one applicator full of product. 

The consistency of the product is that of a thin liquid, which reveals a surprisingly good coverage that covers much of my redness in one thin coat. It feels weightless on my skin, definitely something to consider for foundation newbies or those of us who hate to feel something on their faces. 

The foundation is a godsend for my oily skin. It glides on heavenly, its runny consistency guarantees enough blending time to apply it evenly before it sets and turns into powder. It offers a natural, velvety matte finish that doesn't call for any setting powder. I don't have any dry skins, so I have no idea whether this accentuates them or not, but generally speaking this makes my face look flawless without wearing a ton of make-up. 

My shade is B20, which is a very nice neutral beige that matches my NW20 skin tone pretty well. It counteracts redness without making me look yellow or too pale.

Now, it needs to be said that this is not the first and only thin and runny foundation on the market. To the best of my knowledge I can say there are two drugstore options by Maybelline and L'Oreal, which I don't have, and two high end ones, Armani Maestro and Lancome Miracle which I do possess.

While the Armani and Lancome foundations are almost exact dupes, the YSL Fusion Ink is quite different.  The Armani one is almost all oil and pigment and the YSL contains hardly any oil (I have no data about the one by Lancome). Armani and Lancome apply heavenly smoothly, there's a lot of slip to them and they feel incredible under my fingers. YSL, while still smooth and featherweight, seems closer to traditional foundations. However, it's the YSL that offers better coverage, staying power and, most importantly, oil control.

All three of them are strongly fragranced (which I like) and contain alcohol (which I don't mind at all). 

Disclaimer: I bought the product myself for my personal use and I am not affiliated with any company. I am not paid to do this review and everything I said here is my genuine opinion.