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Il Makiage Foundation Review ‘Woke Up Like This’

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Wondering if Il Makiage ‘Woke Up Like This’ foundation is right for you? If you’re like me and have purchased dozens of foundations online, only to be the wrong shade and end up on eBay, or make you break out, this article is for you.

Il Makiage has over 450k 5* reviews, but I wasn’t initially sold. I’d never heard of them before I saw them on Instagram. I was sceptical, especially after always using the very popular brand Estee Lauder.

I’ve used Estee Lauder’s Double Wear for years. It’s a fantastic foundation but I wanted to try foundation that’s cruelty-free.

I eventually took the plunge (after a lot of research) and used the shade matcher on the website. It asks several questions about skin type to match your colour. The foundation is buildable, has a matte finish and is good for acne skin. So I put it to the test.

My article contains:

Is the foundation dewy or matte?

Il Makiage foundation in shade 35 before and after
Il Makiage foundation in shade 35 before and after 8 hours

The foundation applies easily and melts into the skin. It’s matte and feels lovely. It isn’t thick, so I can move it around my skin quickly and easily without pulling it.

You can easily add a dewy look with a setting spray.

How do you apply the foundation?

It depends on my mood and how I apply the foundation. It also depends on what’s clean! Here’s my YouTube video where I show how I apply the foundation with a damp beauty sponge: (I’d just had covid so I look rough, which is pretty handy as it shows how much better it makes me look!).

I bought a pack of 4 sponges from Amazon for £5. Don’t forget to dampen the sponge first for the best coverage.

Sometimes I use a brush. I’ve got the Il Makiage foundation brush, 100, which is fantastic – dense but very soft – perfect for buffing into the skin. Using a brush is for me, much quicker, than a sponge.

If you haven’t used a brush and sponge, I’d recommend checking both out. You might find you prefer one over the other due to how it makes foundation look on your particular skin.

What about combination skin?

I have an oily forehead & chin and dry bits around my nose. I prep my skin with moisturiser, SPF and primer to give the foundation the best chance of staying on all day without it worsening the oil. Even after wearing it for 8+ hrs, it doesn’t make my skin feel horrid and the foundation stays on well and in place, even after a rainy walk (see pics below).

What’s the coverage like? How much product do I need?

It contains vitamin E, which can help repair the skin and prepare it against ‘free radicals, ‘ which are environmental factors like pollution. Vitamin E also helps to moisturise the skin, which helps it smooth on better. It stops my dry bits from becoming flaky throughout the day (although using a primer also stops this).

I’m not dying to take it off at the end of the day like usual.

I like light foundation coverage. I’m 35, 37 and feel too much makeup makes my fine lines look worse. ‘Woke up like this’ is buildable, so you can add as many layers as you need. I tend to do this on my non-oily areas and go light on where it’s oily, like my forehead.

One pump, below, is what I use over my whole face when I want light coverage:

Il Makiage Woke Up Like This foundation - showing you how much gets you out of a pump
One pump in all its glory – this is what I go with most days to give me a light coverage
Il Makiage Woke Up Like This foundation on my skin after 1 pump
One pump; the redness on the side of my nose has been reduced (but not hidden) and you can still see small pumps on my forehead. It’s a nice light coverage and the colour matches my skin perfectly

One pump gives light coverage—not everything is covered, as you can see—but it’s made my skin glow and look more even.

Even with one pump, the redness on either side of my nose and spots on my forehead have been reduced. The foundation also covers small acne scars and uneven skin colouring on my cheeks and forehead.

It doesn’t cover everything but this is enough for me when I’m working from home. If I were to go to work or go out for the day, I would increase one pump to two or three, depending on what my skin is like on the day (acne etc). I would also use primer to keep the foundation looking better for longer, but that’s another story!

Medium finish – 2 pump coverage

As you can see from the photo on the right, the makeup has pretty much stayed in place. My forehead is looking a little shiny, but all in all it’s still giving good coverage.

I have two pumps on here – plus blush. The redness around my nose has been mostly hidden. My skin looks even but it doesn’t look like I’ve got a lot of makeup on, which is the look I go for. It also doesn’t feel heavy which is really important to me.

Il Makiage Woke Up Like This foundation on my skin after 2 pumps
Two pumps – a lot better coverage, still feeling light-weight and not oily which is what I wanted – it blends well

Watch me applying Il Makiage foundation in shade 035 in my latest 2024 TikTok.

https://www.tiktok.com/@ahoydesigns/video/7331706529596362017
Decided to show you how Il Makiage’s foundation looks like when I’m ill – does it make me look better?

I was feeling ill, so I decided to test this foundation to see if it made me look better and more alive. I ended up applying 2.5 pumps using my new foundation brush:

Il Makiage foundation in shade 35 before and after
Il Makiage foundation in shade 35 before and after, using 2.5 pumps on a poorly Rach

Post-workout – did the foundation stay on?

I worked out and got sweaty – I don’t know about you but my skin looks better. Dewy but not greasy. The foundation didn’t go clumpy, patchy, melt or anything else.

Il Makiage Woke Up Like This foundation on my skin after a hard day - my review
after a sweaty workout – nice dewy skin with foundation still intact without any flaking or creasing
il makiage woke up like this foundation
This is me wearing the foundation in Jan 2024 – this is the final look after also applying blush (no contouring here)

I want a foundation that:

  • doesn’t make my oily/dry skin worse
  • I can wear all day (10hr+)
  • stays on after a workout or if I get sweaty/rained on
  • doesn’t break me out in spots

Il Makiage lives up to that above. I’m pleased (for once) that I was targeted on Instagram. I would recommend this foundation. It works well on my skin.

I also wanted a cruelty-free and vegan brand, which I got. Il Makiage products are all cruelty-free and some are vegan – this foundation is one of their vegan products (check out their FAQs).

I’m not dying to take my makeup off by the end of the day because it doesn’t worsen my oily skin. After wearing it for 10+ hours, my skin still looks fresh with uneven skin tone & imperfections still covered – not as good as the morning but still impressive.

How much is it? Where can I buy?

It’s £39 + delivery £3.95. Delivery is free over £50.

Get 10% off using code ‘welcome10’ using the link below.

Buy from their website, https://www.ilmakiage.com/uk/212-66050-woke-up-like-this

If you buy a monthly subscription you get 10% off (making the foundation £35.10), 20% off future deliveries and a free foundation brush (worth £38 which I’ve bought and use!). It says on their website you can easily cancel online (this is at the time of writing):

Discounts – get 10% off

As mentioned above, use welcome10 for 10% off from their website Il Makiage. If you’re going to buy the foundation, I’d recommend buying either the brush or primer to go with it (and this takes you over the free delivery threshold).

Il Makiage foundation shade matcher – how does it work?

The shade matcher tool “power match” accurately determines the best shade for you. I got 35 the first time I tried it, which is perfect for me.

The shade matcher asks you several questions about skin tone and colour, and then at the end (once you’ve sacrificed your email!) you get your shade match.

It takes a few minutes.

If the shade doesn’t match, you can return it. If you go through the shade matcher, you get even longer to return the product! This was one of the biggest green flags for me.

Il Makiage Woke Up Like This foundation - the skin matcher is brilliant
It only takes a few minutes, but it’s worth going through the Il Makiage shade matcher tool. Not only do you get a recommended shade, you get a longer returns policy.

Il Makiage vs Estee Lauder

When I compare the shade I got with my current Estee Lauder, I think you can agree that the new shade is bob on and a much better colour for me. This is no shade (ha!) to Estee Lauder because I chose the colour myself without help.

Estee Lauder’s is far too yellow for me. Il Makiage’s is more neutral which suits my skin tone.

Il Makiage Woke Up Like This foundation - comparing this to Estee Lauder Double Wear stay in place foundation. Il Makiage is the clear winner in terms of matching my skin better.
Going through the shade matcher was well worth doing – the new Il Makiage shade is a much better fit than my Estee Lauder – which is far too yellow.
Il Makiage Woke Up Like This foundation - comparing this to Estee Lauder Double Wear stay in place foundation. Il Makiage is the clear winner in terms of matching my skin better.
Il Makiage shade 35 matches me so well, you can hardly see a difference between that and my skin

Skin prep tip – a must to keep foundation looking its best

I’d recommend dermaplaning your skin to smooth it out as much as possible.

I do this once every few weeks and it makes SUCH a difference. ‘Dermaplaning’ is a fancy way of saying you ‘shave your face’ but it also removes the dead skin cells making your skin super-smooth. I can confirm after years of doing this, hair does NOT return thicker or darker. See my blog on how easy it is to dermaplane.

Leave time after moisturising


Make sure to give time (at least 10 mins) for your moisturiser/SPF/primer to sink in before putting on make-up. This lets your skin soak up the moisturiser instead of the make-up. I alternate between using Il Makiage Primer and Embryolisse (Amazon). More info below on primer.

@ahoybeauty

my full @IL MAKIAGE ‘woke up like this’ foundation make up routine. I’m shade 35 & was matched using their powermatch quiz #makeuproutine #ilmakiage #ilmakiagefoundation #ilmakiagereview

♬ ALMOST HOME – Mad Adix, Marc Steinmeier
Here’s my Tiktok showing how I apply the foundation with a brush (I tend to use a damp beauty blender nowadays)

I still prefer to wear light coverage, as I work from home most days and have hyperpigmentation to cover – you can see it on my forehead in the middle, and to the sides of my cheeks. I’m working on getting rid of it using my Dermatica melasma subscription but until then, I’m covering it.

Il Makiage woke up like this foundation review

I’ve dabbled in using my fingers to transfer and smooth foundation into my skin, but nowadays I tend to use a damp beauty sponge. Here’s a link to the cheap but really good sponges I use from Amazon (remember to use them damp) https://amzn.to/3K4mdai). I still have my Il Makiage foundation brush I use if I’m in a rush.

Primer is recommended for an extended time period and for aging skin

Before foundation, I moisturise and use SPF. After a few minutes I add primer. I leave this to set for 10 minutes before putting make-up on to allow it to dry. Primer goes everywhere on your face, and it’s exceptionally good at filling in blackhead holes and fine lines.

This is why make-up goes on and looks better with primer – it primes your face by filling in anything rough.

I previously used Revolution Ultra Face Primer which is a cheap alternative, but now I’m using Il Makiage’s Primer as I wanted to use the same brand as the foundation.

Here’s my Il Makiage Primer review on Il Makiage’s Primer – I’ve recently tried it after repurchasing the foundation. It’s brilliant and they work well together – as you’d expect.

Other Il Makiage products I’ve tried

So far I’ve tried the foundation, F*ck I’m Flawless concealer and No Filter Poreless Base primer and several brushes. I’m very impressed with the make-up and would recommend them (especially the concealer; it’s so thick and glides on but doesn’t stick in my fine lines). As I mentioned in the primer post, I don’t normally use primer but on those 10hr+ days, I’ve started to use it to keep my foundation looking good for as long as possible.

I’ve used a few of their brushes, including the foundation and concealer brush. I like them both. The Il Makiage foundation ‘100’ brush is dense but very soft, really allowing you to smooth the foundation deep into the skin without being harsh or making your skin red. The Il Makiage concealer ‘140’ brush is thick and doesn’t pull skin, which makes putting undereye concealer on a treat (especially as my skin is thinning around this area).

Are Il Makiage products cruelty-free and vegan?

the brand is cruelty free - photo of a rabbit outline

Never. We never test products or ingredients on animals, nor do we allow suppliers or affiliates to conduct testing on our behalf. Animals > Everything. Not 100% of our products are vegan, but most are, including our foundation. Contact us for a complete list of our vegan products.

As per their FAQs https://www.ilmakiage.com/uk/faq

Il Makiage products – are they non-comedogenic? I’ve recently looked at the ingredients of Il Makiage’s most popular products – the foundation ‘woke up like this’, the ‘f**k I’m flawless concealer and the Il Makiage primer. Check out the results here.

Is Il Makiage trustworthy?

I think so personally. I’ve been using it for a while, their foundation doesn’t break me out and sits well on my skin. I’ve contacted their customer service a few times and always had polite, helpful replies. The products I’ve tried I’ve been happy with; I haven’t been disappointed with any of the products I’ve tried, including the brushes.

Is Il Makiage good for mature skin?

I’m 35 and like using it. It doesn’t sit in my fine lines or wrinkles. It contains Vitamin E which is good for skin, and hyaluronic acid which hydrates skin by plumping it up. It doesn’t dry out my skin at all.

Update Apr 2021: I repurchased the foundation! I’m still using the same shade, 35.

Update Oct 2022: Finally bought a new foundation bottle. Just shows how little I now wear foundation when working from home!

Update Apr 2022: I didn’t see this at the time of buying, but they offer ‘try it for 60 days’ after using POWERMATCH, see the promo below. I’ve never known a makeup company that offers returns! This will help if you get the wrong shade, as you can return it.

Link here for their foundation POWERMATCH.

Try it risk free for 60 days – a pretty good incentive to try as you can return it!

Update May 2023:

Il Makiage has added a subscription option. If you buy and subscribe to one foundation every 4 months, you get 10% off plus 20% off future deliveries + free delivery. You also get a free foundation brush. I’ve got the ‘100’ brush and it’s fantastic. See the info on the Il Makiage website here.

Have you decided to try it?

It’s £39 + delivery £3.95. Delivery is free over £50.

Get 10% off using code ‘welcome10’ using the link below.

Buy from their website, https://www.ilmakiage.com/uk/212-66050-woke-up-like-this

Hi, welcome to my beauty blog. I am Rachael, and this is my beauty blog

Thank you for reading my article. I wrote it in March 2021 and last updated it in December 2024. It's tagged with the category Beauty Products Make up if you'd like to read more.

AD: #ad Some of my blogs include affiliate links where I get paid when you click through and buy. This doesn't increase the cost you pay. My blogs are my point of view and experience. I don't promote anything I don't like or believe in.

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