Oxygenate your face: It Cosmetics It-O2 Ultra Repair Liquid Oxygen foundation

packaging When I have lazy days I still always try to apply foundation so my face appears flawless.  I have a few different go-to favourites, but I always like trying new products as well.

I recently heard about IT Cosmetic’s new liquid foundation, It-02 Ultra Repair Liquid Oxygen foundation and had to try it.  The foundation is marketed as a “facial in a bottle” and is formulated to deliver oxygen to the skin and is clinically proven to increase skin hydration by 71 per cent after just 10 minutes of wear.  Infused with anti-aging technology and ingredients, including peptides, hydrolyzed collagen, niacin, hyaluronic acid, grapeseed oil, vitamins A, C, & E, and special IT Cosmetics Drops of Light reflecting pigments to optically blur away the appearance of imperfections.  The foundation also contains light-diffusing properties that evens skin tone for flawless airbrushed skin without settling into lines and winkles, providing sheer to buildable full coverage which leaves your skin with a dewy glow.  It also has anti-aging benefits.

sponge

Alright, enough PR talk, does it actually work?  IT Cosmetics is no stranger to this blog, I have tried a number of their products and have loved most of them.  When I saw that this foundation is meant to be applied with their own version of the Beauty Blender, the Hydra Sponge, I was uber excited to try it out (you can actually purchase the duo together on QVC).

bottle pump top

Fair on top, Light on bottom.

Fair on top, Light on bottom.

blended foundation

Fair on top, Light on bottom

I received the colours Light and Fair (there are five shades: Fair, Light, Medium, Tan, Rich) and tried the Fair colour first, as I thought it would be perfect for my winter skin (aka ghostly pale).   I wanted an extra bit of colour so I ended up layering Light over top.

I started off with a foundation primer, then with two pumps of the foundation, I dotted it all over my face.  With the wet Hydra Sponge (make sure this is wet so it doesn’t absorb the product), I blotted and stippled the colour all over my face until it was well blended.

No foundation.

No foundation.

 

Fair foundation applied.

Fair foundation applied.

Light foundation layered over Fair.

Light foundation layered over Fair.

Alright, so first impressions on the foundation was that I didn’t like it.  It didn’t really provide me with the coverage I’m used to and the Fair just seemed to wash me out.  When I layered the Light over top and actually waited until the colour set, I seemed to enjoy the product more.  As for the Hydra Sponge, I think it’s at least twice the size of the Beauty Blender and it’s not as soft and bouncy.  The Beauty Blender seems to be made with a light-weight sponge, whereas the IT Cosmetics one seems to be a bit heavier, thicker, and much larger.  Truthfully, I would skip the Hydra Sponge and just pick up the original Beauty Blender and use that if you wanted to apply it with a sponge.

Hydra Sponge dry

Hydra Sponge dry

 

Hydra Sponge wet.  Notice the size difference; it expands when it's wet.

Hydra Sponge wet. Notice the size difference; it expands when it’s wet.

Overall, I thought this foundation is alright.  It’s more of a medium coverage, rather than full, which is what I prefer.  I also found that it doesn’t last all day. I would apply it at 8 a.m. and then when I would get home I found that some of it was gone.

It does have anti-aging properties in it (like most of the products from IT Cosmetics), so I would say that it would probably be better for more mature skin (my mom tried it and she liked it).  It is supposed to provide hydration, however, my face is pretty hydrated to begin with, so I didn’t really notice much of a difference.

Would I recommend this foundation?  It depends.  I like to layer Make Up For Ever Pro Finish powder over top to provide me with that extra bit of coverage (I don’t have bad skin, I just like a flawless face).  If you like medium-coverage foundation, then yes, I would try this out.  Also, if you have older, more mature skin, I think this would be right for you.  There are foundation I enjoy more, but this one is alright and I have been using it constantly.  I do want to say that if your skin is the same shade as mine (NC 15 in MAC), then I would go with the Light colour, not fair.

With makeup applied.

With makeup applied.  I used IT Cosmetics Brow Power on my brows, Brow Power Lift underneath and on top of my brows. IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Bronzer to contour, IT Cosmetics No Tug eyeliner in navy along my waterline.  IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye concealer under my eyes, and their Hello Light Powder Illuminizer as my highlight.  I used a Lancome quad for my eyeshadow, Hypnose Star mascara, and Art Liner eyeliner.

As for the Hydra Sponge, I have continued to use it most days when I apply this, but if it was between this and the Beauty Blender, I would go with the latter.  If you got the sponge as a set, try it out, you may like it, especially if you have never used the Beauty Blender, so you may not have anything to compare it to.  It does give you a better application than with a brush.

The IT Cosmetics It-02 Ultra Repair Liquid Oxygen foundation can be found in Canada at The Shopping Channel for C$38, or on QVC for $39.56 USD (this includes the Hydra Sponge).

Have you tried IT Cosmetics It-02 Ultra Repair Liquid Oxygen foundation?  If so, what were your thoughts?

Please note, I was sent these products for review purposes.  All opinions are my own.

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