Make Up For Ever’s Matte Velvet Foundation Made My Skin Look Photoshopped

We purchased Make Up For Ever’s Matte Velvet Skin Full Coverage Foundation so our writer could put it to the test. Keep reading for our full product review

The foundation category has certainly changed a lot over the years, and now, there are so many options and brands to choose from. Whether you like matte finishes, sheer coverage, or unique, skin-friendly ingredients, a product exists out there for all of us. Not a consistent foundation wearer, I appreciate the options but tend to stick to what I know.

Curious to see what else I might like on the market, I purchased Make Up For Ever’s Matte Velvet Skin Full Coverage Foundation. Did I love or hate it? Keep reading to find out.

About My Skin: Sensitive, acne-prone skin with hyperpigmentation

My skin has been through a lot: I’ve had super clear skin, and I’ve also had severe breakouts and rashes. Having dealt with acne and reactive skin for years, I’ve put many products to the test—over the counter and prescription—in search of finding the right combination of ingredients that work for me. The same goes for my makeup: I normally use Cover Fx’s Power Play Concealer to cover my dark spots and MAC Cosmetics’ Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder on a regular basis.

With foundations, I haven’t tried too many on my face because of my skin concerns, but I’m always open to trying something new if the ingredients seem like they’d agree with my skin. The Matte Velvet Skin Foundation had ingredients I was familiar with and I was curious to see what it would look like when I put it on.

How to Apply: Foundation brush or beauty sponge

Applying this foundation was pretty straightforward for me, and the packaging really helped with that: the product comes in a container that dispenses the product well. Squeezing product from the bottle right onto my cheeks and forehead, I took my foundation brush and buffed the product into my skin. Because it blended effortlessly and was really pigmented, it didn’t take very long for my skin to have the finish and coverage I was looking for from this product. I could have stopped with a foundation brush when I applied the Matte Velvet Skin Foundation, but I decided to go over my work with my damp Beautyblender; I usually do this with fuller coverage foundations just to make sure there are no hard lines or patches of the product I may have missed when smoothing product over my skin with my brush. This foundation definitely didn’t require any additional work—you’ll be just fine using one tool to achieve a smooth application.

The Results: Smooth, matte skin that lasted for hours

This product delivered exactly what it said it would: my skin felt like it could breathe.

As happy as I was with my results, I wish there wasn’t any fragrance in this product. The Matte Velvet Skin Foundation smells great, so the scent isn’t the issue, but my skin doesn’t always react kindly to fragrances in skincare and makeup products. Other than that, Matte Velvet Skin is a foundation I’m happy I tried out; it’s another product I can add to my collection of favorite foundations.

The Value: A great price for a great product

For $38 and 30ml of product, this product is also priced well and aligns with the average cost of many foundations on the market from other prestige beauty brands. I don’t think fragrance was a necessary ingredient for this product, but if your skin can handle it, give Matte Velvet Skin a chance; you might just find a new love.

Similar Products: So many to choose from

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup ($43): A legendary product in the foundation game, Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup is popular for a reason. With its full-coverage, waterproof 24-hour wear—plus a natural matte finish and oil-controlling capabilities— this product is a powerhouse. Available in a whopping 55 shades, Double Wear has been a well-deserved staple in the beauty industry for years. 

Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation ($36): This wouldn’t be a comprehensive review if I didn’t mention the Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation from Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty, a product that called attention to the importance of inclusive beauty and left other brands shook. Most importantly, though, this foundation is good: diffusing the look of pores, sweat-resistant, long-lasting, and buildable with a soft matte finish, this product can give any matte foundation a run for its money.

NARS Soft Matte Complete Foundation ($40): One of the reasons NARS is so well-known is because of the brand’s complexion products; their Soft Matte Complete Foundation only gives more credibility to the brand's popularity. With a soft matte finish, 16-hour wear that stays true to color, shift-proof and transfer-proof formula, and Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate, this foundation is an amazing product worth checking out.