Wearing foundation requires finding that equilibrium between even coverage and the dreaded ‘caked’ look. I’m forever sacrificing the kind of coverage my patchy skin needs in my bid to use only one layer of foundation. What’s worse is that my skin tone doesn’t fit into the ‘yellow tone’ or ‘pink tone’ bases of foundation pigmentation. I can see some of you nodding your heads in bitter agreement. Been there, done that. Well, let me ask you this – have you tried using Urban Decay’s foundation yet?

Urban Decay started out in the nineties as an edgy option breaking away from the classic makeup stereotypes. Tapping into urban landscapes, Urban Decay’s products provide complete coverage whilst staying away from the caked Barbie look. Essentially, the company gives you the oxymoron every girl wants – natural-looking full coverage.

As if it couldn’t get better, Urban Decay’s All Nighter Foundation boasts (you guessed it) an all-night, long-lasting formula. It sounded too good to be true, so I decided to look into it myself and report back to the makeup lovers out there. I have to admit that I’m not much of a ‘makeup lover’ myself, which only made me even more intrigued about this foundation. A full coverage product with little upkeep? Sign me up!

Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation Shades Breakdown

Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation.

When it comes to the perfect foundation shade, I generally don’t know where to start. Most drugstore brands have a ton of shades to choose from, but they’re all within the ‘yellow’ to ‘pink’ ranges. For someone like me with a varied facial skin tone, these options are not ideal.

The breakdown of Urban Decay’s all nighter foundation shades is simple to understand, and therefore easy to choose from. If you have skin with warm undertones, then go for the .0 shades. Have you noticed a pinkish shade to your skin? Anything ending in .5 is what you’re looking for. If your skin is prone to tanning, or just generally has more golden tones, then .75 numbers are the ones for you. The newest addition to this extensive shade range is the .25’s. If you have a more neutral skin tone, or like me, are reluctant to put yourself in one box, then these shades are your new best friend!

With such an extensive palette, it’s interesting to note the constant ingredients throughout all the shades. Urban Decay’s All Nighter foundation uses iron oxides, which are naturally occurring minerals, as its pigmentation. They have good ‘staying’ qualities, which means that you only need to use a little bit of product for lasting results (my kind of makeup!). The pigments in the iron oxides are balanced out by titanium dioxide. This is a mineral that is used as a thickening agent. It’s a white substance, which means that when it’s combined with iron oxide, it helps cover those skin imperfections. Precisely what you’re looking for. Titanium dioxide is also used as an SPF, which is definitely an added bonus in a foundation!

Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation Review

Honestly, so far this foundation sounds like a myth or one of those fairy-tale potions. But as my mother always says, “Don’t knock it ‘till you try it!”

I usually start by using a primer before applying my foundation. Having done that, I dab the foundation evenly across my skin using a blending sponge. The texture of the Urban Decay all nighter foundation was thicker than you’d expect from a liquid foundation. You can immediately see the kind of coverage you’re going to get. That being said, it weirdly doesn’t feel heavy at all! (There is truly nothing worse than feeling like you’re being weighed down by the sheer amount of product on your face). I used only one pump of makeup and only needed to apply one layer to get full coverage. I know – that’s practically unheard of. Usually, I don’t have the time (or patience) to apply two or more layers of foundation, so this is a dream come true.

The finish is demi-matte, as promised on Urban Decay’s website. This is particularly good for oily skin types. If you suffer from dry skin, be warned, as I imagine it would pick up on those dry patches a little easier. The good news is it doesn’t feel tacky when you touch your face and it isn’t overly dry either.

I wore the foundation for 8 hours just to see if it really had that lasting coverage. Once again, I was not disappointed. The products I had used over the foundation, especially the bronzer, held really well. It’s safe to say that I was pleasantly surprised. I’m used to my foundation just absorbing the products I applied on top of it throughout the day.

Conclusion

Urban Decay’s All Nighter Foundation might be the solution to all your caked-up problems. There’s nothing worse than looking like you can scrape off your makeup with a fingernail. If you want complete coverage in one layer, look no further.

What’s more is that when it comes to products that sound too good to be true, they usually are. A lot of high-end products out there are either not cruelty-free or are non-sustainable. It’s not make-or-break for me, but it’s an itch I have when it comes to finding quality cosmetics. You’ll be happy to know (I certainly was) that Urban Decay is not only 100% committed to being cruelty-free, but that the All Nighter foundation is also part of their vegan range! Frankly, this thoroughly makes up for the hefty price tag.

I found this foundation to not only be long-lasting but also an easy way to make it look like I made an effort in the morning. I don’t usually apply foundation daily because of that layered-up look it gives (and then it just slides off five hours later). Having said that, Urban Decay’s All Nighter foundation is about to become a staple in my beauty regime – and I wish the same for you!