Review: Physicians Formula Youthful Wear Spotless Foundation & Powder

Purchased by Me 

Since I am of the age where sun spots, age spots, broken capillaries, etc. are real and not just some "thing I hope I never get," I was really excited to try this new Spotless line from Physicians Formula. Especially since, as I mentioned back in November, Physicians Formula was apparently inspired by Armani's Maestro Foundation (which also comes with a dropper applicator but retails for a mere $64 a bottle) when creating this foundation.

Well I surely didn't pay anywhere near $64 for the Physicians Formula version. I purchased both the foundation and powder (there's also a concealer in this line but I have not tried that yet) back in early April when CVS or Rite Aid was having one of their 40% off or BOGOFREE sales (sorry, can't remember which). Both retailers run these types of sales quite frequently on PF cosmetics, so you will never have to pay full price for them (which even at full price is nowhere near $64) as long as you're patient!

Physicians Formula Youthful Wear Spotless Foundation & Powder
(retail: $14.95 and $13.95)

Sadly, I cannot tell you if this foundation is truly a dupe for Armani Maestro, because I don't own Armani Maestro. But I can tell what I think of it (and I have some very strong opinions about it!) so keep reading if you'd like to hear my thoughts...

First, photos of the foundation:

Physicians Formula Youthful Wear Spotless Foundation in Medium
(Retail: $14.95, 1.0 oz)

This foundation comes in three shades: Light, Medium and Medium Beige. You can view the shades on the PF website here.

Believe it not, even though this dropper looks messy, I have managed to keep the opening and the bottle itself quite clean without any real effort at all. As long as you're careful when you pull it out and place it back in, you should never find that things get messy. I've been using this foundation regularly since the beginning of April and it still looks pretty close to what you see above. 

A little dark for my NC20 skintone, but still workable.

This brush is very dense (surprisingly so) and the softness is good (it can be a little prickly when you're dabbing, but it's not prickly when buffing). Sadly, I find it way too small to use for foundation application and the few times I used it for that, I felt like I was trying to paint a house with a nail polish brush. 

BUT,  I have actually found a better use for it--I love it for applying cream and mousse blushes! I find it works beautifully for those types of products, so don't be quick to throw this one out if you don't like it for foundation. I also like it for applying products like Revlon Photoready Skinlights because it allows for very targeted application.

The powder:

Physicians Formula Youthful Wear Spotless Powder in Translucent 
(retail: $13.95, 0.33 oz)

This powder comes in one shade: Translucent. You can read more about it here.

I did not notice until I got this product home that it contains a lot of fine sparkle. You can see that better here:

The sparkle above may not be visible if you're viewing
from a mobile device but trust me, it's there.

Some before-and-afters:

My bare skin

Above is my freshly-washed face. I hate showing this to you (or anybody for that matter) but I just want you to know that I am the target demographic for a product like this. I have sun spots, age spots, freckles, redness, broken capillaries, enlarged pores, old acne scars, dark circles, you name it. I am 43 years old and about the only things I DON'T have at this point are crows-feet and deep wrinkles (thanks to my mom, and thanks to my general dislike of hot weather and sunshine which is ironic, I know, given that I live in San Diego but I digress). 

After applying Physicians Formula Youthful Wear
Spotless Foundation with my fingers

This product does an amazing job at covering most of my flaws, and it does not settle into my (giant) pores. Even just using my fingers for application, I do not have issues with foundation pooling up in my pores. I think this product gives me a very natural look, while still providing great coverage.

After applying Physicians Formula Youthful Wear
Spotless Powder on top of the foundation 

This powder does not look cakey on the skin and in the pics above, I don't think there's a really a big difference between without-powder and with-powder. I love the way it looks on my skin, except for one big issue:

Same foundation & powder, different day

If you're viewing this on a mobile device, you may not be able to see that the glitter  in this powder is abundant and it's all over my face. You can see also see it here:

I have the very beginnings of crows-feet around my outer eye area, and hopefully you can see that the glitter in this powder highlights that. I am NOT a fan of this much sparkle in my face powders because I feel that it actually draws attention to my skin's flaws (large pores, fine lines) rather than "blur" them (as intended). 

More about the powder before I get to the foundation: This is a nice, smooth powder that's finely-milled. It's not chunky or gritty and even though it looks pretty pigmented in the pan, it really does go on like a translucent powder. It does a nice job at oil control, it doesn't look cakey and it works nicely to set this foundation, as well as other foundations I've used it with. The fragrance is pretty strong--it has a vanilla note to it and it reminds of the scent of the Physicians Formula Sexy Booster products (I love that scent). So really, the only thing I do not care for is the abundance of fine glitter in this powder, but for the reasons I stated above, that's a deal-breaker for me and I won't be repurchasing. It's just not a good fit for me personally.

Now on to the foundation!

Texture and consistency: When it comes to consistency, this foundation is unlike any other foundation I've ever used. Granted, I have not used Armani Maestro, or any other uber-expensive foundations (aside from occasional sample packets but you can't really get a good feel for foundation from a tiny sample). So I have no basis for comparison when it comes to this product and extremely-high-end foundations. BUT, I can tell you that the consistency and texture of this product are unlike anything I've used before. This foundation is thin and watery and that may scare you at first, especially if you prefer full coverage. But once you apply it to your skin (I just place a few drops directly on my fingertips) it feels amazing. At first it feels like you're rubbing a light, oil-based product onto your skin (it does contain oils) but after a second or two, it's as if this foundation melts INTO your skin. It feels like it actually becomes one with your skin. It glides on like silk, yet it's light and cushiony at the same time. And then once you're done blending, it turns almost powder-like, yet it doesn't look like powder. This is the best way I can describe it, but you really have to try it for yourself to fully understand.

Application: Don't use the brush (but do keep it for blushes, as I explained above) and try using your clean fingers the first time you give this one a shot. I'm telling you, even if you're a brush or sponge lover, you might be surprised at how wonderful this foundation looks using just your fingertips. I've been so happy with my fingers that I haven't even wanted to try other methods. Also, a note about the applicator: I think that PF chose the best delivery system for this product. It's so thin that if it were in a squeeze-tube or pump, it would easily dispense too much product. With the dropper, you can really control it, drop by drop, so even if it feels like a hassle, I think it's worth it. And again, my bottle hasn't gotten "gunked up" even though I've been using it consistently for about a month. 

Coverage and staying power: For a foundation that is this thin, I am SERIOUSLY impressed with the coverage. Almost all of my flaws are covered on the first try, and I don't really even find myself going back in for spot applications when I'm done with my initial application. Staying power is great for me, even with my super oily skin, in cooler weather (8-10 hours). But in warmer weather, this does tend to fade and become a bit oily-looking after the 4-5 hour mark. But for a product that contains oil, that's still very impressive for me. I do get better staying power if I use a primer beforehand and an oil-control powder after application though.

Fragrance: This is going to sound kind of weird, but the scent of this foundation reminds of mascara. Specifically, it smells like the Physicians Formula Organic Wear Mascaras. Sort of earthy but, to me, pleasant. Unlike the powder, the foundation doesn't have that "Sexy Booster" fragrance to it. 

FINAL VERDICT: I have oily skin and it seems counter-intuitive to use a foundation that also contains oil, but I have had nothing but wonderful experiences, time after time, with this foundation. The texture is unlike anything I have ever applied to my face (you just have to experience it for yourself to fully understand!) and for such a thin liquid, the coverage is beyond impressive. Staying power on my oily skin is great in cooler weather, but it does tend to fade more quickly in warmer weather unless I use a primer and an oil-control setting powder.  For me, the biggest fault with this foundation is its small shade selection, but if you can find a shade that works for you, this might become a new favorite.  I really wish it came in shades suitable for ALL of you, because I really want you all to experience what this foundation feels like. It's a new favorite for me because it really does give me that "second-skin" feel and look, while also concealing most of my flaws. I will most certainly repurchase! Sadly, I can't say the same for the powder in this line, but that's just because I don't like a lot of glitter in my face products (I do like everything else about it). 

Have you tried anything from the Physicians Formula Youthful Wear Spotless Collection yet? I'd love to hear from you!

The products featured in this post were purchased with personal funds. For more information, click here.