The Beauty Edit: A Foundation for Imperfect Skin

I never imagined that I would have grey hair and acne at the same time.  In my younger years, I had this idea that the acne would someday go away.  It didn’t.  Maybe at menopause. (*fingers crossed*)  But worse than the blemishes, the scars and pitting from 25-years of problem skin has really impacted my self-confidence.

For the past few years, I’ve piled on a full face of makeup, but never been particularly thrilled with the results.  The makeup often looked heavy, felt heavy, and, when I looked in the mirror, I didn’t see myself, just a heavily makeup-ed version of face.  So when I saw an Instagram story for a lightweight, full-coverage foundation, I decided that I had nothing to lose.

KVD Beauty’s Good Apple Skin-Perfecting Hydrating Balm is billed as a lightweight, long-wear foundation that gives you a matte, but natural-looking finish.  The balm is designed to smooth and blue imperfections without giving you that dry, pancake makeup look or feel.  The photos below are an accurate representation of the effect:

You know how I resist the temptation to make outlandish claims about the products I endorse, so I am going to choose my words very carefully.

I have tried dozens of foundations that promised me a smoother, more radiant complexion and given me a ‘meh’ result.  The first time that I used Good Apple, I was almost amazed by how well it delivered on its promises.  Scarring was minimized.  Redness was invisible.  Tone issues were nearly erased.  And while the finish was matte, it didn’t feel or look flat.

Additionally most full-coverage foundations feel like you’re wearing a mask all day.  I lightly apply a thin layer of Good Apple with a BeautyBlender, and I can wear it for 12-hours before it starts to feel a little heavy.  Most tinted moisturizers don’t have that kind of staying power.

Lastly, I like that the brand has a wide shade range.  The foundation comes in 40 shades, which is a pretty impressive number when most brands stock fewer than a dozen.  And using Temptalia’s shade finder, I found the right shade for me on the first try.

Good Apple gives me back a taste of the skin I had ten years ago.  In a way, it has restored some of my confidence.  Being in my late 30s, I succumb to the insecurities about aging that have been impressed upon me since I was old enough to read the cover a magazine in a checkout aisle.  And while it’s important that we all focus on healing our mental health, some days, I still just want to look in the mirror and see my 27-year-old face looking back at me.

The foundation isn’t a miracle; it’s makeup.  You put it on, you wash it off.  But when I wear it, I feel like my skin looks the best it can, even on days when I haven’t slept, or had enough water, or my pores feel like they’re the size of man-hole covers.  And it feels good to know that even on a day when I don’t feel very good, I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and think, “You look nice today.”  And it’s been a long time since I consistently felt that.

Bottom Line, this is a ringing endorsement for Good Apple.  I like it so much, I bought the concealer to go with it.  If it lessens the dark circles under my eyes, I’ll probably buy stock in the parent company.

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