Antonym Skin Esteem Foundation REVIEW!

I am a huge fan of the Antonym Certified Organic Baked Blushes, so I was absolutely thrilled when I saw the new Antonym Skin Esteem Organic Liquid Foundation pop up on Sephora’s site a while back. I choked a bit at the $52 price tag, but wasn’t that surprised as Antonym tends to be priced a bit higher than a lot of “high-end” Sephora brands that I would typically gravitate towards. I guess I kind of expect that since the brand uses more “natural” and organic ingredients. I figured that there’s no better time to try it than the VIB Sale (clearly I’ve had it a while), so I crossed my fingers and picked a shade. I went with Beige Medium Light and hoped that I not only loved the formula, but also got the correct shade! (Spoiler: it’s a bit too deep, but it still works.) I have been testing out the foundation on and off and have some thoughts, though not a definitive opinion. So if you’re looking to learn more about what you’re getting with the Antonym Skin Esteem Organic Liquid Foundation, you’ve come to the right place!

Let’s start with the texture of this foundation. It is surprisingly thick when it comes out of the pump, but it has sort of a mousse consistency. In other words, it’s kind of a thick, whipped, cream texture. Despite that thick consistency, it’s surprisingly lightweight on the skin. It also seems to blend out to a thin layer over the skin that I don’t feel throughout the day. I actually really like the feel of this foundation, and I cannot think of another foundation that is quite like this consistency-wise.

Given the thicker texture of the Antonym Foundation, I would expect that it would provide relatively full coverage. However, it actually makes for quite light coverage. It claims to be buildable and I don’t really find that to be true. I also feel like I use an awful lot of product just to get the initial light coverage. If you’re hoping to do much more than even out a relatively “good” complexion, I think you’ll be disappointed in this foundation. But it is a beautiful light coverage which is plenty for many people. If you’re looking to cover a lot of blemishes, freckles, or other forms of discoloration, you’re going to need to add concealer as well. That said, it looks great if you don’t need a lot of coverage!

Antonym says this foundation provides a matte finish, but I would call it a natural satin or maybe even a mildly glowy finish. It’s a really pretty finish and I love the way it looks! It has that healthy skin look. Though I don’t agree with Antonym’s description as matte, I do feel it has a natural looking finish that would probably be agreeable to most skin types. The finish is just that perfect balance in between flat matte and glistening dew.

The feel on the skin is quite light, though I highly recommend setting with powder for better wear time! The foundation is slightly hydrating without feeling greasy or too much like a moisturizer. By the same token, you do feel some moisture in there, though I don’t think it would trouble somewhat oily skin types. If you’re incredibly oily, you may not like this…and it may not last well throughout the day. I do think that normal-to-oily, combo, normal-to-dry and dry skins would all get along quite well with the Antonym Liquid Foundation (I’ve used this when my skin has been super dry all the way through returning to pretty balanced and it has worked brilliantly throughout!).

As far as wear time goes, I find that it actually wears surprisingly well! It can transfer onto your phone, eyeglasses and I’m guessing clothing if you’re not careful, but I really haven’t had trouble with blotchy patches that have worn away throughout the day…blowing my nose aside! I should point out that I’ve only been able to test this in colder weather, so I’m not sure that it would perform well on a humid, sweaty, summer day. And as I alluded to earlier, if you get particularly oily throughout the day, this may not last too well either. Right now on my normal to dry skin during the bitter cold of winter…with the weird bursts of 60˚F days…it holds up pretty damn well! In fact, there is minimal settling into texture, lines or accentuating dryness –less than with most foundations actually! I do notice that it settles into my baby smile lines by the end of the day, but it’s not too bad. Again, I wouldn’t try to wear this without setting it with powder because of the transferring potential, but on my skin at least, it lasts quite nicely and looks almost as good at the end of the day as at the beginning!

I find that the best way to apply the Antonym Skin Esteem is with my fingers. Given the thicker texture with that whipped consistency, it easily glides across the skin and blends pretty easily. Using a brush works as well, but I like the finger-blending result enough that I rarely stray to a brush for application. I also don’t find much difference in the end result. As for a beauty sponge, I don’t think it’s a great way to go because I feel like it would soak up a fair amount of the foundation, sheer it out into very minimal coverage, and since this is a bit mousse-like in consistency, I think it might look patchy with a sponge…but I actually haven’t tried it so this is just a guess. I’m perfectly fine with using my fingers to apply this because it’s so quick and easy! It blends out evenly with minimal effort. What more could you ask for?

Let’s briefly touch on the shade range. It’s pretty awful. There are 6 shades in the line and most of them look more on the lighter side of the spectrum. Given the coverage level, I feel like if you can find something close to your skin tone, it probably will work, but 6 similar shades are just not going to cut it! As I mentioned, I ordered “Beige Medium Light” and it works I think mainly due to the lighter coverage. It is just a touch dark for me, but it’s not noticeable once it’s properly applied to my face. If you’re ordering online (I’ve never found Antonym products in person), I would just choose a shade that looks close to your natural skin tone and you’ll likely be just fine.

If I’m completely honest, I didn’t like this foundation initially. Not so much because there is anything “wrong” with it, but I just feel like it has a high price tag for what you’re getting. I seem to equate a higher price tag with better coverage, and this is definitely a lighter foundation. There’s nothing wrong with that, just not what I expected. I have grown to appreciate the coverage level as well as the finish, but I do need a bit more help at the moment. I do love the finish and look on the skin, just want a bit more coverage than this seems capable of providing. I do love that Antonym is a “green” brand that uses more natural ingredients and understand that the better ingredients add to the cost. Another thing to keep in mind is that this foundation will likely expire quicker because it’s more “natural.” Also of note, the packaging feels really cheap. It’s in a pump dispenser – thumbs up for that! – but it’s a plastic bottle that is really light making it feel less than luxurious. Having said that, if you’re concerned about traveling light, the bottle is perfect! 😄 It’s certainly not what I expected though…especially from an eco-friendly brand. When I think eco-friendly, I think glass. Am I right? I also feel like the product will not last as long as a lot of other foundations I’ve tried due to the amount I use per application, though the size is comparable to most with 1.06oz / 30mL. It just doesn’t look or feel very full. Though the Antonym Skin Esteem Organic Liquid Foundation is not everything I had hoped for and more (what is, right?), it is a beautiful finish foundation that is wonderful when light coverage is what you’re after. All in all, not my new favorite foundation, but definitely a great option for those with better skin than myself, or even as a nice light everyday foundation for days you want just a bit of coverage. I would certainly recommend this for the right customer – one with relatively good skin who is not looking to cover a lot of imperfections and wants a beautiful natural finish. If that’s you, then I definitely recommend looking into the Antonym Skin Esteem Foundation…assuming you’re ok with the price point! 😉

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