At their core, they are designed to transcend surface-level beauty. This includes foundations that not only provide coverage but also control excess oil, concealers that target under-eye circles while offering skin treatments, and primers that hydrate and safeguard our skin’s natural barrier.
How to check if your skincare has expired – and the health risks of using it
Fiona Co Chan is the founder and CEO of Youthforia, a brand celebrated for its make-up that also delivers skincare benefits. “On the make-up side, the product still has the nice performance, the nice texture, and the nice make-up effect,” she says, “but it also has skincare ingredients that can help your make-up last longer and help improve your skin.”
Just think back to the sensation caused in 2020 by Ilia’s hydrating and protecting Super Serum Skin Tint, which combines make-up, skincare and sunscreen into one product; or Supergoop’s lightly tinted hydrating primer Glowscreen Sunscreen, boasting SPF 40 protection alongside a pearlescent finish. Amid a surge in demand, these and several other hybrid products have rapidly grown from a passing trend, to a beauty staple.
When it comes to achieving hydration, managing oil and fortifying your skin’s natural barrier, Pizarro suggests that foundations stand out as an ideal option. “Foundations are probably the best make-up hybrids to get,” she says. Hydrating, soothing ingredients can be highly beneficial within this category, while primers and lip products with repairing and nourishing effects “will also be of great help to keep your skin plump and moisturised under your make-up”.
It’s worth noting that hybrids and make-up products formulated with skin-friendly ingredients are not the same. Youthforia uses skincare actives whose effectiveness is supported by clinical study or a peer-reviewed science journal.
“That’s different from make-up products that simply feature skin-friendly ingredients,” adds Chan, “because sometimes they might just add a very small drop of a trending skincare ingredient, but it’s not enough at the functional level to really help improve your skin – that’s one of our big differences.”
Lip products 101: 8 make-up and skincare basics for the perfect pout
The primary aim is, of course, to excel in both realms – as a skincare product and as make-up. “While it’s commendable for a foundation to be alcohol-free to prevent dehydration, it becomes even more remarkable when it incorporates ingredients like cica or rose extract to soothe sensitive skin throughout the day,” adds Pizarro.
Still, it’s crucial to be realistic about what make-up can achieve compared to dedicated skincare products. “Sometimes I see formulas that are majority skincare with some pigment but not enough performance. I think finding that perfect balance between what you might expect from a skincare product and a make-up product is really hard to do well,” Chan adds.
Michelle Yeoh’s diet, skincare and fitness routine, revealed
That’s why, while make-up with skincare benefits is a welcome addition to your routine, it probably cannot match the potency of dedicated treatments or serums when addressing signs of ageing, texture and hyperpigmentation. Ingredients like retinoids and vitamin C may not be present in make-up at clinically effective levels due to their instability and formulation challenges, and when it comes to make-up with sunscreen, it’s important to note that achieving the SPF level listed on the bottle requires multiple layers and constant reapplication. Therefore, instead of replacing your sunscreen, consider these products as an additional layer of protection rather than your primary form of sun defence.
To navigate this expanding market, it’s important to closely scrutinise labels and look out for ingredients with well-established skincare properties, like hyaluronic acid or adenosine. “Personally, I seek make-up hybrids with depuffing or anti-inflammatory ingredients, like niacinamide, cica or caffeine, as they not only enhance the makeup’s appearance but also leave your skin looking fresh,” Pizarro says.
What is tretinoin and should I add it to my skincare routine?
“Everyone’s skin is different, and everyone’s preference for the make-up finish, texture and performance is a little different,” adds Chan. She likes to test formulas on the back of her hand, and tries to avoid formulas that dehydrate skin. And if it’s “too serum-y, it might not last very long” she adds. “Those are usually two things I like to look out for.”
If a make-up hybrid promises to completely transform your skin overnight or claims to be a magical cure-all, then that should raise a red flag – authentic products are more likely to understate their benefits and rely on tangible results.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tK%2FMqWWcp51kuqKzwLOgp52jZMC1xcueZpudkarBunvTq5ynnKNkrrPAyJyjnmdjZ4FzhZBuZqGnp2LEprjLZpuoZaOgtq%2BvwKucZpmemXqurcqeZKGxkqe2pb%2BMmpqtrZGhubp51qippGWSmq62wNhmp6unlKqwtb%2BMobCdqpGpsm6%2FyqKlZpmemXqurc2anp5ln565qrrErKo%3D