If you’re considering Il Makiage shade 35 Woke Up Like This foundation, this is the review for you! I talk about what it’s like to wear on oily/acne-prone skin, how buildable it is, and how long it lasts.
I’ve also included colour swatches and shade details to help you work out whether shade 35 is likely to suit your skin tone.
TL;DR (summary)
★★★★☆
Il Makiage foundation shade 35 is a light shade (best for pink or neutral undertones)
Pros: it’s good for several skin types (dry, oily); buildable to give slight coverage or full that covers bags/acne; many shades to choose from with matching tool on their website; it’s cruelty-free/paraben-free, phthalate-free, sulfate-free and oil-free; Great returns policy; they do other products to compliment the foundation such as primer, brushes, concealer; very helpful customer service.
Cons: similar price to other well-known brands; social media ads lack credibility; lots of shades to choose from is GREAT but can also be a con when there’s too many/overwhelm!
My article includes:
- Il Makiage shade 35 review: does it match your skin?
- How Il Makiage foundation performs on all skin types
- Coverage and buildability of Il Makiage shade 35
- Wear test: Il Makiage foundation after workouts
- Price and where to buy Il Makiage foundation
- Il Makiage shade matching – how does it work?
- Is Il Makiage foundation non-comedogenic?
Il Makiage shade 35 review: does it match your skin?
Il Makiage has a foundation shade-matching tool on their website (more on that below; it’s called powermatch). It’s pretty common on beauty sites these days.
It asks you a range of questions, and you choose which photos better match your skin. It matched me to shade 35, which was perfect for me.
I’ve used Estee Lauder’s Double Wear for years and years because it’s an amazing foundation, and very popular, but it isn’t cruelty-free.
Estee Lauder Double Wear
Here is the comparison of my older foundation – Estee Lauder. I decided to look for a cruelty-free brand and found Il Makiage.
You can see the Il Makiage shade is a much better match. It has a pink undertone, whereas the Estee Lauder one is yellow.
Il Makiage foundation – Coverage
No filters here! I need a foundation to cover uneven skin tone, melasma (hyperpigmentation), redness, and dark circles. Plus the odd spot.
Shade 35 was matched to me in the shade matcher tool, so it’s pretty accurate. You can see how well it matches my neck, which is what you’re supposed to match. I’ve got a slight tan in this photo, so I’d probably need another colour for those summer months.
I don’t know why I didn’t go straight down the middle when applying this foundation, but I think you can see the difference. This was one full pump of foundation. It goes on easily and dries matte but not flaky. It covers melasma, acne, red spots, dark circles.
How Il Makiage foundation performs on all skin types
As confirmed on Il Makiage, the foundation has:
- Lightweight texture
- Buildable medium-to-high coverage
- Natural-matte finish
- Optically-corrective powders
- Enriched with Vitamin E and Hyaluronic Acid
- Paraben-free, Phthalate-free, Sulfate-free, Oil-free
- 100% cruelty-free
As the foundation has a matte finish, it’s pretty good for controlling oil. It doesn’t feel dry or cakey like some matt foundations do on my skin.
It contains hyaluronic acid which helps to regulate oil production. This also helps to keep my skin hydrated so it doesn’t feel clogged or feel tight throughout the day, even when I’ve gone for a medium finish.
My forehead gets oily so I was worried about this foundation. Usually, foundations feel horrible after a few hours and start to separate, but this one doesn’t – even after a long day and after a workout.
Primer tips for longer-lasting Il Makiage foundation
I tested this foundation with and without primer, and the difference was clear.
- with primer – the foundation stayed on longer, looked smoother, and controlled oil better.
- without primer – still good, but the longevity wasn’t quite as impressive and I had slight separation/sinking into wrinkles
I use a primer on my dry bits only – around my nose and mouth. The Il Makiage Primer is very good and keeps the foundation looking great all day. It’s pretty pricey though, see here for more info: See my Il Makiage primer review here or on Ilmakiage.com.
If you wanted a cheaper alternative, the Maybelline Grippy is under a tenner and is really good.
How to prep your skin for Il Makiage foundation
Before we get into how this foundation holds up, let’s talk skin prep because it makes all the difference. If you suffer with acne, I’ve written about that too which some of the below points go into, 10 steps to help your acne.
Sometimes when you think your foundation is rubbish and flakey, it’s actually the way you’re applying and the skincare you’re using.
- Clean your face properly. Sometimes I’ve gone to put foundation on, only to find dry skin flaking off my skin and sleep in my eyes – I’d clearly not done a good job in the shower. Now, I gently cleanse my skin with a face cloth to gently remove any crap that’s sitting on my skin.
- Moisturise and use SPF. Leave them to sit for at least 10 minutes. I do my hair whilst waiting.
- Apply primer to your dry bits. To give an even coverage, put a pea-sized amount in your clean fingers to warm up, then pat it on your skin. Wait another 10 minutes before applying foundation!
- Use a damp sponge – after my 20years of applying foundation, the best way I’ve found is to use a damp sponge. I use the flat side, and put the foundation on the back of my hand first. I splatter it about to warm it up, and so the sponge can soak it up. Doing it this way makes the foundation go on quicker and gives a more even coverage, in my experience.
Coverage and buildability of Il Makiage shade 35
This foundation is buildable, so you can use as much as you want.
- one pump – light to medium coverage; evens out your skin tone but doesn’t cover everything, such as acne or melasma.
- two pumps – medium to full coverage, great for covering melasma, acne, redness, and dark circles.
- three pumps – full coverage, still lightweight and doesn’t feel cakey.
Even with extra layers, the foundation still doesn’t feel heavy or look too matte. If you want a more dewy finish, you can always set it with a hydrating setting spray.
In the photo above, I’ve got two pumps on, which doesn’t feel heavy on my skin. I’d use an extra pump to completely cover spots or melasma. Even with using more foundation, it still doesn’t feel heavy.
How well does Il Makiage foundation cover acne and melasma?
In the following photos, you can see how well the coverage of the foundation is, as well as its durability.
The following photo is after a full day of being out at work – sweating and in the rain. It was a 17hr day. You can see the coverage is still there. It has worn off on my chin but still makes my skintone look even by covering up the smaller spots, nose redness and melasma on my forehead and sides.
Wear test: Il Makiage foundation after workouts
I usually take off any makeup before a workout, because my skin feels horrible when it’s sweaty. I didn’t need to with this foundation.
After a workout, it didn’t make my skin feel any oilier or like I had to remove it straight away! I’ve removed makeup in the car, driving home after the gym sometimes, because of how greasy my face feels.
- My skin looked dewy but not greasy after a workout.
- It didn’t separate or move into fine lines.
- My hyperpigmentation was still covered even after sweating.
Price and where to buy Il Makiage foundation
The foundation is £39. Delivery is free over a certain amount.
Get 10% off using code ‘welcome10’ using the link below:
- Here is the foundation link; https://www.ilmakiage.com/uk/212-66050-woke-up-like-this
- Here’s a link to the foundation shade matcher: https://www.ilmakiage.com/uk/powermatch-quiz
- Here’s the link to Il Makiage primer
They sometimes have offers if you take out a subscription. You can get a discount on subscriptions, plus at the time of writing, they’re giving away a free brush.
Il Makiage’s Returns Policy
Il Makiage has a very impressive returns policy. If you answer the questions in their POWERMATCH shade matcher which helps you find your colour, they offer a 60-day returns policy (normally 30 days).
In general, any product purchased through our shade-matching quiz(s) is eligible for a sixty-day return period.
see their FAQs here
Il Makiage shade matching – how does it work?
Il Makiage sell over 50 shades, and you can return it if you don’t like the colour within 30 or 60 days depending on whether you’ve used the powermatch quiz or not.
If you use the shade matcher, you get 60 days to return the foundation if you don’t like it (normally 30 days).
I’ve written a blog on undertones and shade matching, if you need information: my guide on finding your Il Makiage skintone and undertone.
Is Il Makiage foundation non-comedogenic?
I checked the ingredients of Il Makiage’s most popular products, including this foundation, the ‘Fk I’m Flawless’ concealer**, and their primer. While not marketed as non-comedogenic, I personally haven’t experienced breakouts from using it. If you’re acne-prone, it might still be worth patch-testing. Check out my review where I look into the ingredients: is Il Makiage non-comedogenic?
What else does Il Makiage sell?
They do all sorts you’d expect from a beauty brand; make up, primer, exfoliator, make up brushes. I’ve got quite a few of their products and use them all, especially their foundation makeup brush.
See my full reviews here on other Il Makiage products: