I am a big fan of powder foundations and have been trying out the Kiko Weightless Wet and Dry Powder Foundation for a few months now.  I have really being enjoying how light-weight the powder feels, as well as how quick and easy it is to apply to the face.  I thought it was time for a post!

Interested in reading about more Kiko products? You can read my other posts (as well as view photos and swatches) on Kiko products here.  You can also search under Faves/Hauls&Brands/Brands on the menu bar to read about Kiko or other brands featured on the site.

 

Compact Packaging

Kiko’s powder foundation comes in their classic gunmetal silver, square packaging.  The Kiko logo is on the top, whilst ‘Kiko’ is written in white letters along the bottom part of the compact.  The compact has a magnetic closure, which elicits a satisfying ‘snap’ sound when you close it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The back of the compact provides the shade name, product name and net weight (12g/0.42oz). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The compact states that the powder foundation has an SPF 30.  It is helpful to have some SPF in your make-up products but I still like to wear a moisturiser with SPF or sunblock underneath.  I’m not a skincare specialist but I’ve read that the SPF in make-up doesn’t necessarily give you protection from the sun as not enough is applied.  

The compact has a small tinted tray directly underneath the lid with space for a foam/sponge applicator for the foundation.  The foundation comes with a square, sponge-like applicator but you can also fit the traditional round, foam applicators in the tray and still close the compact.  I like the design of the compact, as the flip-up mechanism with the sponge storing in the underside of the lid means that it isn’t overly bulky in size.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The tray flips up to reveal a mirror on the underside, as well as the foundation in the bottom part of the compact.  The mirror is a good size, whilst the base holding the foundation is nice and sleek.  The Kiko logo is inscribed on the foundation but does wear away with use.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Product Claims

The Kiko site states that the product is a “smoothing pressed powder foundation with a matte finish”, contain SPF 30 and to be “…ideal for normal to oily skin”.  The texture is meant to “…even[s] out the complexion for a flawless, natural look”.  This product is meant to glide on easily and to be buildable.  The site also says the foundation can be applied wet or dry.

 

Texture, Finish and Coverage

I agree that the foundation is very smooth and that it gives the face a soft, matte finish.  I don’t find it to look powdery or cakey on the skin; it just makes my skin look smooth and even. 

The powder feels extremely light-weight, natural and comfortable on the skin.  I really like wearing it on days when I want to even out my skin but I want to keep my make-up very natural and light-weight.  I think this powder foundation is a great option if you are someone who wants more coverage than you get from a face powder but not as much as you get from a liquid foundation.   

You can vary the coverage depending on whether you use a sponge/foam applicator or a brush (more on that below), so that is a great feature of this powder.  I don’t think it would be as great if you like a full coverage look to your make-up, as it gives more of a natural coverage.

I find that I do need to touch-up my face a little during the day, so I wouldn’t say it is the most long-lasting powder foundation I have tried.  However, it is worth noting that Kiko do not market this powder foundation as a long-lasting powder.  I see it as offering more coverage than a face powder but less than a liquid foundation.   I don’t mind having to touch up the powder, as it gives me a reasonable amount of coverage across the day and doesn’t break down much.  The powder reacts well to touch-ups, with no caking or bunching up on the face.

 

Application Techniques

The foundation can be applied using a sponge/foam applicator for fuller coverage or with a brush for lighter, more sheer coverage. 

I like the flawless look that a sponge/foam applicator gives, as it picks up more product and blends it out evenly over the skin.  A brush gives a very light, soft wash of product over the face and is great for days when I don’t want to have much make-up on my face.

I haven’t tried the foundation wet as I prefer using powder foundations dry.  I have tried applying a powder foundation wet before (using a damp sponge applicator) but I didn’t like the feeling of a wet powder on my skin.  I imagine that it would give fuller coverage but I’m not so keen on how it feels on my skin.  It’s worth trying the powder out dry and wet, though, to see if you have a preference for either or both methods.

 

Shade Range and Undertones

The Kiko Weightless Perfection Wet and Dry Powder Foundation comes in a choice of 12 shades, with the undertones being spread across the shades.  There are three different types of undertones: Neutral (N), Cool Rose (CR) and Warm (W). 

I would highly recommend trying or swatching the powder in person (if you can) as I found that the undertones were different to the ones I have tried from other brands.

I normally always wear foundations or powders with a Neutral undertone but found that CR20 was the right shade for me.  I first selected N60 (see photo below right) to try as it matched my face well.  However, I found that whilst I loved the look and feel of the foundation, my face looked very yellow.  I also found that it looked far too dark in comparison to my neck (more on that below).  I went back, purchased N40 (see photo below left) and tried it at home a few times.  Again, I found that the foundation – whilst being better matched to my neck – looked far too yellow.  I ended up going back to see what the CR undertone looked like, said to a make-up advisor I wanted to match it to my neck and was given CR20.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve never used a cool with pink undertones foundation before but the CR20 shade (see photo below) has turned out to be perfect for me.  I’m really pleased, as I loved the foundation but found it very frustrating that the Neutral shades looked so yellow.  So I would highly recommend viewing the shades in person to avoid making the same mistake that I did the first couple of times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would also recommend letting the make-up advisor know (if you need help with selecting the right shade) whether you want your foundation to match your face or your neck.  My face is a lot darker than my neck (particularly in the summer months) and so directly matching my face shade means the foundation just doesn’t look right.  I find it much more flattering to match the foundation to my neck shade as it blends in seamlessly.  One of the make-up advisors I asked when I was looking at the Benefit Hello Happy Foundation said her face is lighter than her neck.  She prefers to use a darker shade of foundation to ensure her face shade blends well with her neck shade.  I’ve had good results with finding the right shade of foundation by asking make-up advisors to match to my face, so I think it’s worth being aware of how the shade of your face compares to your neck shade and what your preference is for matching purposes.

For information purposes, examples of the shades I usually wear include: No 7 Warm Ivory, Bare Minerals Original Foundation in 03 Fairly Light, Bare Minerals Pure Brightening Serum Foundation in Bare Linen, Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultradefinition Liquid Definition in 2.0 and Revlon Colourstay Foundation in Sand Beige.

 

Swatches

I’ve given swatches below for the foundation in shades N40, N60 and CR20, since I have these three shades.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stockists and Price

The Kiko Weightless Perfection Wet and Dry Powder Foundation costs £13.90 and is available from Kiko stores and online.  Kiko regularly has special offers and money off products, so it’s worth waiting for one of these if you want to save some cash.  I don’t see the powder foundations having reductions too often for some reason, so it might be worth snapping up if you happen to see an offer and want to try it out.

Have you tried the Kiko Weightless Perfection Wet and Dry Powder Foundation before? What do you think of it? Did you have any issues with finding your right shade? Any other Kiko products you would recommend? Let me know in the comments section below.