The Non-Foundation Foundation Stephanie Lives In All Summer

The coverage of a foundation; the weightlessness of...nothing.

Author:
Stephanie Saltzman
Publish date:
Jul 26, 2016

Urban Decay Naked Skin One & Done Hybrid Complexion Perfector, $34, available at Sephora. Photo: Courtesy of Urban Decay

Despite the fact that I'm a beauty editor, I'm not always so big on makeup. (Shh, don't tell anyone.) I prioritize hair and skin care to near-insane levels, and if a fun lipstick happens to catch my eye, great. But when it comes to foundation, I'm super picky. If I can feel it on my face at all — or if there's caking, creasing, chalkiness, too much shine or any effect that makes my skin not look like, well, skin — I'm out. But even with all of those limitations, I also need at least medium coverage to help mask hyperpigmentation from past acne.

So I have come to worship Urban Decay's Naked Skin One & Done Hybrid Complexion Perfector (say that five times fast). It's the one and only non-foundation foundation I'll be using all summer long. It meets every one of my aforementioned requirements, plus it has a little SPF (note: makeup is never enough to give you adequate sun protection, but it certainly doesn't hurt) and also blurs out any weird complexion unevenness. The only drawback — kind of a major one — is that there are only six shades, ranging from "Light" (for pasty folks like me) to "Deep," a mocha-hued formula I'm fairly confident would still appear ashy on anyone with dark skin.

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