Foundation Face-Off: L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte vs Maybelline Fit Me! Matte + Poreless

Hello lovely readers! 

This post has been a long time coming; I've had these two foundations for quite awhile, but I really wanted to put some time into testing them out to make sure I got a good feel for how they work. The products I'm referring to are the Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation, and the L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation. Since these two products came out around the same time, and they both are matte finish foundations, I decided to see which of the two works best (in my humble opinion). Without further ado, let's begin the first  Foundation Face-Off!

Maybelline Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Foundation

 

Product Claims:  (From the website) While some foundations can exaggerate pores and oily skin, only our pore-minimizing foundation contains our genius blurring micro-powders that erase pores and absorb oil for a naturally matte and poreless-looking finish.

When I first heard of Maybelline Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Foundation on YouTube, I was super excited! I had always envied those that used the original Fit Me! Foundation, but they didn't offer a formula designed for oily skinned gals, so I never tried it for myself. Finally, they came out with a version specifically catered to my skin type, and I couldn't wait to experience the magic first-hand! All the reviews I read or watched made me giddy - a mattifying foundation that controlled shine and blurred pores, that would apply beautifully and last all day? Yes, please!

One of the great thing about the Maybelline Fit Me! foundations is that they offer a wide range of colors, so it makes it easier to find a color that works with your skin tone. The foundation is available in 16 shades from Porcelain to Coconut- I'm shade 112, Natural Ivory. Another positive is the price point - I paid $8.99 at my local CVS, which I find to be a fair price for foundation; if you use coupons or Extra Bucks, you can get it for even less.

Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation comes in a glass bottle (no pump), which is not the most convenient way to dispense foundation (in fact, it can be downright messy if you're not paying attention), however the MAC foundation pump does fit (albeit imperfectly), and if you don't mind spending the extra money on the pump, it can make make dispensing the product easier, and lessen the chance of spills. 

Finished face - doesn't look to bad from a distance!

Maybelline Fit Me! Matte & Poreless is a liquid foundation with a thin, runny consistency that does not offer much coverage.  For the life of me, I could not figure out a good way to apply this foundation. When I tried using a brush, it became streaky and didn't blend into my skin properly. My fingers proved to be a useless tool, and while a Beauty Blender offered the best results, my skin still looked uneven. I tried working in sections, as well as dabbing it all over my face and blending it out, but none of the techniques I have tried worked out particularly well. I find this product to be a real trickster, because from a distance it seems to have pretty finish; however, up close you can see how it settles into my pores and barely covers my redness. The foundation does not layer well, and cannot be built up to look good on my face. My skin did not look matte and poreless, it looked matte and pore-filled. In addition, it really clung to my dry patches, which was especially bizarre considering my skin is extremely oily, and I only get visible dry patches in the dead of winter, or when I have a cold and I've been blowing my nose frequently.

Close up of Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation freshly applied.

Up close you can see one of the dry patches, and the way the foundation emphasizes my large pores.

One of the biggest downfalls of the Maybelline Fit Me! Matte + Poreless foundation is that it did not keep me matte as well as I had anticipated. I experienced oil break-through in my t-zone within 2 hours, and the rest of my face was fairly shiny by the 4 hour mark. It was quite a strange experience for me; the foundation made me feel overly matte - to the point of dehydration- when first applied, but within a few hours I felt like a total oil slick. Another issue I had with this foundation is that seriously broke down throughout the day, especially around my nose and forehead. I had to constantly check out my reflection to make sure the foundation hadn't broken apart and slid all around my face. Every time I checked on it, I noticed that it had pooled in one area or another, and I then had to pat the area to re-blend it. I also had to periodically blot my face to keep me from shining like a disco ball; I found myself doing this every 1-2 hours...talk about high maintenance!

After 4 hours of wear and much blotting

This foundation gets such amazing reviews,  I really want to love it, but unfortunately it truly disappointed me. If it had at least lived up to some of its claims, I could make it work... but where are those "genius blurring micro-powders that erase pores and absorb oil"?? My bottle must have been missing them, considering the foundation  made my pores more noticeable, it didn't control my oil in the least, it lacked longevity, and it certainly didn't offer much coverage. As much as I wish it weren't so, this turned out to be a major flop for me. 

L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte 24 Hour Foundation

Claims:  Achieve a matte finish that won’t fall flat with this air-light, longwearing liquid formula. Lightweight and creamy, foundation goes on smooth with a demi-matte finish that lasts up to 24 hours—hiding imperfections for a smooth, clear complexion.

While this foundation doesn't have as many color options as Maybelline Fit Me!, it still offers 12 shades from Classic Ivory to Cocoa- I use shade 102, Shell Beige, which is a great match for me. Because the packaging is frosted, it is a little tricky to pick a color, but certainly not impossible. The foundation comes in a plastic squeeze tube, which is a convenient, neat, and travel-friendly way to package liquid foundations. It is a bit on the pricey side for a drugstore foundation - $13.99 at my local CVS - but you can use coupons and Extra Bucks to bring the cost down, and compared to the price of some higher end foundations it isn't all that bad a price for the quality.

This is a thicker foundation with a mousse-like consistency. It covers surprisingly well with one application, but can also be built up for more coverage. I've applied it with both a brush and a Beauty  Blender, and both methods work beautifully. It buffs into skin effortlessly, blending out to give an almost natural, skin-like appearance.

Freshly applied makeup

Demi-matte finish looks fresh, not shiny

The L'Oreal Infallible Pro Matte foundation makes no claim to blur pores, like the Maybelline Fit Me! Matte + Poreless does, yet I find that the texture is perfect for smoothing out the skin, as it does not settle into the pores and creates a more even appearance. It is a demi-matte finish, meaning it keeps skin from looking oily, but still offers a tiny bit of glowiness that prevents the overly-matte, flat look that so many mattifying foundations have. I've also found that it does not cling to dry patches, which is great for those with combination skin types who need the best of both worlds.

Close-up of how L'Oreal Infallible Pro Matte minimizes the look of large pores

This foundation is amazing; it looks gorgeous, applies like a dream, and it lasts for hours. I cannot say that it lasts for the full 24 hours, as the package states, but I did wear it for a good 16+ hours, and it still looked pretty damn good. I've worn this makeup out dancing, where I worked up a good sweat, and instead of wearing away and becoming super greasy, it developed more of a  "glowy" finish that still had a polished, pulled-together look. I almost didn't want to take off my makeup because I was in awe at how good it looked at 2:00 am.

After 6 hours of wear and many sweaty hours of dancing

Glowy, but not greasy

I know you're dying to find out which foundation I think is the better of the two, aren't you?

And the winner is...

I'm sure by now it is no secret that for me the clear winner of the Foundation Face-Off  is  L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation. It truly lives up to its name, as it is virtually budge-proof and maintains a natural matte finish throughout the day. I still can't believe how good it looks whenever I wear it, and that I don't have to worry about it breaking up around my nose and forehead. I'm not used to wearing a foundation all day and having it look just as good when I get home. This is my new holy grail drugstore foundation!

Have you tried either of these foundations? What has your experience been? Did I just purchase a wonky bottle of the Maybelline Fit Me!, and it really is the best foundation of life? Please let me know your thoughts :)

Thanks for reading - live a beautiful life!

~Jessica