Foundation Review: Clinique Beyond Perfecting vs Smashbox Studio Skin

Prelene Singh
Feb 22, 2017
5 min read

I purchased these foundations when they first came out and was all the rave, with everyone harping on about how much they love either one or the other. I wanted to try them out for myself and see what all the fuss was about.

If you follow me on Instagram you will know that I got these about 10 weeks ago. Since then, the seasons have changed and I went on a glorious overseas holiday to Thailand, and guess what I took these two little babies with me and tested them out to the max.

These two foundations came out with a bang. The Clinique Beyond Perfecting foundation and concealer and the Smashbox Studio Skin foundation.

Personally, I am a fan of Smashbox makeup and use their products all the time. They are quite pricey but the payoff you get it so much more worth it. I actually fell in love with the Liquid Halo HD foundation - this stuff not only provides a good amount of coverage but also moisturises and smoothes your skin, never cakes up or clings to dry patches.

You can imagine I had high hopes for the Studio Skin Foundation. As for the Clinique foundation - I honestly bought this because of all the hype - it sounded like gold to a person who is a sucker for full coverage foundations.

First up the Smashbox Studio Skin foundation. Picked this up at Red Square for R480.00. It comes in a pump bottle with 1 fl. oz [30 ml] of product. Finding my correct colour was easy simply because I have used this brand before so I know my colour shades.

This foundation claims to be 15 hour wear and is hydrating to the skin. When I read up on this foundation it said that it was made to look good under any light. The formula is oil free, easy to blend and has a natural to full coverage.

I wore this in Thailand in the blistering heat all day while doing activities and without me touching my face, it lasted and pulled through these intense conditions. Definitely is medium to full coverage but I wouldn't say it's as hydrating as the Liquid Halo foundation. It does get patchy and tends to lift off the skin the longer you wear it.

The foundation did crack a bit on my chin and was clearly visible on the skin, which could be due to my breakouts and naturally dry skin.

The consistency is weak, quite runny and thin. It blends quite well over the skin, doesn't dry that quick and I found that while my skin was having a dry moment, I still had to set it with powder.

The best way to apply this foundation was with a stippling foundation brush. You can go in with a sponge afterwards to even it out, but for the best cover I would go with a brush. At first application it looked lighter than my skin but it does oxidise and settle down by the time your full face is done - so don't be alarmed.

There are a few brushes which I have used to apply this foundation with and that I think work well. (From left to right):

The Beautique stiff foundation brush - very affordable available at Edgars
The flat Mac foundation brush - not sure of the number of this brush but it's amazing for applying the foundation to the face before blending - on the pricey side, available at Mac stores
The Real Techniques Stippling brush - amazing brush, I use it to apply most of my foundations and it works every time. They are middle of the range in terms of price and you can buy them online at Biovea or at Foshini in Sandton City mall.
Another foundation brush from Real Techniques, the Expert Face brush, amazing as always for a natural and blended coverage

The foundation in my opinion is a good buy, not only is the brand great and have some quality products under their belts, but they are trustworthy and never disappoint. This foundation is available in 22 shades which is what I like, it caters for almost every skin tone with no discrimination and best of all has no potent scent.

It provides what it claims and could possibly work on all skin types. I will however still reach more for my Liquid Halo foundation.

Rating: 8/10

Next - the Clinique Beyond Perfecting foundation and concealer. Got mine at Red Square as well for R515.00. It comes with a dofa applicator which is huge but doesn't bring up much product. You get 1 fl.oz [30ml] of product as well and the packaging is quite appealing, the sliver makes the difference here.

When I first tried this foundation I immediately noticed that it was THICK and you really don't need a lot at all. I used a brush, my first mistake and second I applied too much and was left with a cake face. Now I understand why they used a dofa applicator so to limit the amount of product you smother your face.

Two dips into the jar is more than enough to cover the face quite effectively. Also, it's important to note that this foundation to me isn't buildable and you will not get more coverage if you keep applying more - it already is full coverage and you risk looking like an oil painting with too much product on.

Best application for this foundation is with a sponge for both your base and if you want to use it as concealer.

The words "beyond perfecting" promises a whole lot to me. So I read up on what this product claims to do. According to the Clinique website it's:

"Lightweight, moisturising makeup covers thoroughly without clogging pores. Colour stays true, even through sweat and humidity. Beyond Perfecting Makeup will melt into your skin for a Beyond Perfected flawless look. A little goes a long way!"

I agree it's very full coverage and the makeup stays, although I did need to powder during the day due to shine, but this could be because it is a full coverage and thick.

A little does go a long way but it certainly is not lightweight - I could feel this on my skin after application and once I set it with powder it felt better but didn't sink into my skin like I expected.

I personally am not a fan of the texture of this foundation. It feels like you are using a concealer as foundation which is just weird because it is so thick and uncomfortable on the skin. As a concealer this is amazing, it covers and brightens just as a concealer should and for the most part that's how I use it.

But I didn't give up on it just yet. I thought that maybe if I mix it with my Mac Face and Body foundation and set it with a spray that maybe it would feel better and, well it did. Diluting the solution makes it thinner and easier t work with and I still got the full coverage. That's my tip :-)

Rating: 5/10

And the winner is....................................................................................Smashbox Studio Skin foundation!!!!!!!!!!!!

I enjoyed the Clinique too but it just wasn't what I look for in a foundation.

If you have dry skin definitely try out the Smashbox foundation and the Clinique will work too if you can handle the texture. However, for oily skin I recommend staying away from the Clinique one.

I will continue to use both these products and if you are looking for a new foundation I hope this helped you. Remember to follow me on Instagram and Twitter and like our page on Facebook for all our updates and new posts.