The Beauty Diary by Beck Sullivan: The brand new foundation you need in your life

It’s taken an extra six months to arrive on Australian shores, but one of the biggest new make-up releases of 2018 is finally here.

It might have taken an extra six months to arrive on Australian shores, but the biggest new foundation release of 2018 is finally here.

Beauty Blender, the brand behind those teardrop-shaped makeup sponges you see all over YouTube and Instagram, has launched a foundation called Bounce Liquid Whip Long Wear. It costs $60 from Sephora.

We break down everything you need to know about this awesome new product.

Beauty Blender has officially launched Bounce Liquid Whip Long Wear! Picture: Supplied

1. THE COVERAGE

Bounce is a medium-to-full coverage foundation that is neither super matt nor super dewy. The brand describes the finish as “velveteen matt”. You can certainly “hack” your skincare prep and foundation application to create either finish — more on that in a tick.

2. THE SHADE RANGE

Bounce comes in 40 colours, which is awesome. The beauty industry is finally starting to embrace diversity thanks to the new standard set by Rihanna’s brand Fenty.

But don’t buy a shade purely based on what the sales lady recommends to you. The gross artificial lighting in Sephora won’t give you an accurate representation of your correct colour.

Ask for a few different shade samples and swatch yourself later in natural light, so you don’t accidentally commit to an entire bottle of the wrong shade.

Guaranteed to give you that full coverage beat! Picture: Supplied

3. THE AWESOME BOTTLE DESIGN

The bottle is travel friendly thanks to a little “on-off” switch at the back that prevents the foundation from leaking in your bag while in transit.

There’s also a blending dish built into the bottle, so you can pump out the foundation directly onto its BeautyBlender-shaped divot, instead of making a mess by dispersing the product on your fingers or back of your hand.

Simply wipe with a tissue at the end when you’re done.

4. HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY APPLY IT?

The product has been designed specifically for use with a wet BeautyBlender. They cost $30 from Sephora and come in a range of colours.

Soak your sponge under a running tap, squeeze out the excess water and then get to work. You can use a brush or fingers, but it won’t look as good. Trust me, I’ve tried.

If you want a dewier finish, prep the skin with a thick moisturiser, an oil, or a heavy duty sunscreen. If you prefer a matt look, don’t go so hard on the skincare layers.

Start by blending the product onto your nose and chin and then move outwards. Fuller coverage foundations like these are easier to manipulate with a wet sponge because then you don’t get annoying streaks. This also helps the foundation to melt into the skin and creates a flawless finish.

If you like a matt look, simply leave as is. I prefer a dewy finish, so I use lots of highlighter and a dewy setting spray to keep everything in place.

This new foundation is a breeze to apply (works best with a wet BeautyBlender). Picture: Supplied

5. WILL IT COVER PIMPLES, PIGMENTATION AND SCARRING?

Bounce covers everything without giving you that cakey, whitewashed, overdone look.

If you have any breakouts you want to cover up, you probably won’t need a separate concealer. The foundation gets pretty much everything on the first layer of application, but any particularly stubborn marks can be hidden by simply applying a second layer of foundation ONLY ON THE AFFECTED AREA.

When we have breakouts, it’s very tempting to cover the whole face in a thick layer of foundation. That just creates an unnatural, cakey look which actually draws more attention to imperfections.

Just apply extra on the spots where you need it most.

6. OK, BUT WILL IT MAKE ME LOOK SNATCHED?

Yes. Absolutely. Numerous compliments, text messages and Instagram DMs inquiring about your new-found glow are guaranteed.

This is a great event foundation. It’s perfect for weddings, hens parties, festivals or long days in the sun. It lasts all day and night, through numerous glasses of Champagne and terrible life choices. It’s probably not what you want to wear everyday, but if you’re all about that full coverage beat for 9-5, go for it.

While you can have the best foundation in the world, if you don’t prep the skin well and pop a few little extras on the top, it won’t truly shine.

So here are 5 other products to use in conjunction with your foundation to achieve that lit-from-within glow.

Missed a column? Catch up on every single issue of The Beauty Diaryhere.

MECCA MAX LIFE PROOF SETTING SPRAY

Mecca Max Life Proof Setting Spray. Picture: Supplied

Price: $25

Available from: Mecca Maxima

This setting spray gives me LIFE! It’s perfect for helping all of your makeup melt together seamlessly and creates a beautifully expensive, dewy finish.

If you prefer a matt look, Urban Decay’s All Nighter setting spray delivers the goods — your makeup will not move an inch.

The key with setting spray is to ensure you have truly finished applying of all your makeup before using one. Any annoying mistakes, pieces of fluff or wayward mascara must be removed. Otherwise, when you spray, all of that crap will be stuck to your face.

I know many of you ladies out there are still using hairspray to set your makeup. Please, in the name of our Lord and Saviour Anna Wintour, I beg you to buy yourself a setting spray and stop doing this. It’s terrible for your poor pores.

MAYBELLINE MASTER CHROME METALLIC HIGHLIGHTER

Maybelline Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter. Picture: Supplied

Price: $19.95

Available from: Priceline, Chemist Warehouse

Because who doesn’t love a little blinding highlight? If you don’t want to buy a special highlighter brush, use a clean fluffy eyeshadow crease brush to apply this delightful powder to the high points of your face.

When you turn your face into the light, the highlight and your foundation will create a gorgeous natural glow.

MECCA COSMETICA ENLIGHTENED LIT FROM WITHIN ILLUMINATING BALM

Enlightened Illumination Balm from Mecca Cosmetics. Picture: Mecca

Price: $32

Available from: Mecca Cosmetica and Mecca Maxima

This is my favourite everyday highlighter, because its creamy, balm-like texture is incredibly easy to blend into the skin. It’s best applied with fingers.

Unlike many highlighters, this product doesn’t settle on top of the skin, instead melting in perfectly to make it seem like you naturally look like a beautiful dewy princess.

VOTARY LONDON CLARIFYING OIL

Votary London Clarifying Oil. Picture: Supplied

Price: $130

Available from: Sephora

Applying an oil under a full coverage foundation is a great way to keep the skin hydrated and create that healthy glow we all want.

I started using this fancy face oil over the summer holidays when my skin was breaking out but also quite dry.

The combination of oat, sunflower, grape, rice bran and peach oils hydrate the skin super well (you can use alone or layer moisturiser/sunscreen/night cream over the top) without making pimples worse. The formula has specifically been designed for “blemish-prone” skin.

Yes, it’s $130. But my justification of the wildly high price is that A) The bottle has a unique product-saving dropper so there is no leakage or wastage and B) I’ve used it everyday for what feels like months and I’m not even a third of the way through the bottle. Could genuinely last you a year.

If you’re looking for a cheaper version, Go-To’s Face Hero ($45 from gotoskincare.com) or Trilogy’s Rosehip Oil Light Blend ($36 from Priceline and Chemist Warehouse) are solid alternatives.

— This column is not sponsored and this is not advertorial content. Every review is independent, honest and ad-free.

— Love talking about beauty? Join our Facebook group, The Beauty Diary.

— If you have a beauty question or a product you’d like us to road test, DM me on Instagram or tweet me.

— Want more beauty tips? Read every week’s column here.