I’m just gonna come right out and say it: everything’s fucked.
The mass transportation system in this country is in a death spiral, the earth is burning to a cinder as we speak, and I’m going through personal bullshit that (a) I’m not sure I’m allowed to talk about; and (b) I don’t really have the energy to get into right now.
There’s a lot more that I’ve not mentioned in the cliff notes of horror above, but that’s just because I’m constantly tired thanks to the 5 to 6 hours I spend commuting daily.
But I am nothing if not vain, so in the midst of all this chaos and instability I still cannot abide outwardly looking like the abject despair that I feel inside. I will not step out of the house looking like the inner eldritch abomination that has consumed my capacity for hope and joy.
And so here we are, with a foundation review.
MAKE UP FOR EVER is one of my all-time favorite beauty brands. Their Ultra HD (Fluid) Foundation is one of the best I’ve ever tried, covering up blemishes and evening out the skin tone without ever looking cake-y or fake. It’s an incredibly photogenic foundation and I never have to worry about how I look in photos as long as I have it on.
This year MUFE came out with a new foundation called Reboot, promising to wipe every last sign of fatigue off your haggard face. It supposedly combines skin care and makeup to combat dullness, fine lines, skin dehydration, and unevenness, giving you a much healthier visage overall.
Now I’m clearly no scientist, and the daily grind has reduced my brain to about 50% capacity, so you’ll forgive me if I don’t go looking into the skin care science behind this foundation.
Instead I will offer you something no scientist ever will: anecdotal evidence.
Finish: luminous soft matte. It certainly isn’t glowy in the same way Korean base makeup is glowy, but it leaves you with skin that looks healthy and hydrated minus any unwanted oiliness.
It reminds me of Bourjois Healthy Mix, but with a more natural finish. Skin looks like skin, except better.
Coverage: light to medium, and very buildable. I find that if you apply a thin and even layer with a dense brush, it creates a sort of “film” so you get flexible coverage. It doesn’t look fake or spackled on, is what I’m saying.
I use Y245, which is just a hair warmer than my actual skin tone, so I can get away with not using a concealer for my dark circles and blemishes. If you’re a little more particular about not letting these imperfections show, though, get a concealer.
Wear: I have combination skin (dry cheeks + very oily nose) and stay in an air-conditioned office all day. MUFE Reboot doesn’t make my face feel dry or tight and it stays looking good from 6AM to 8PM. Yes. That’s time spent working AND commuting. Wonderful.
It gets a little oily on my nose and temples by 3 in the afternoon, which I don’t mind. It doesn’t break down, though, so no need to retouch the area under your eyes or the sides of your nose.
My main gripe is that it smells like someone tried to make it smell healthy. I can’t explain it; I just think it smells like traditional Chinese medicine and raw vegetables. I don’t like it and it stays noticeable for about 30 minutes before dissipating. I have other, more annoying concerns in life, though, so I mostly try and get over the smell.
It doesn’t have the blurring effect that you get from Ultra HD, but I do think MUFE Reboot is the better everyday choice. It’s very lightweight and you barely feel it on your face once it sets. Plus the finish is very natural and almost completely unclockable (as long as you blend, of course) so you don’t look like you’re wearing makeup at all. You just look like you haven’t given up on life yet, you know?
MUFE Reboot makes me look like I actually slept, like I’d actually known what it was to be at peace for at least a few hours. It makes me look unbothered, which is all I can ask for given the swirl of never-ending nightmares engulfing the world we live in right now.
This march towards death’s cold embrace is inevitable. Might as well look good doing it.
The Pretty Bourgeoisie 