My introduction to foundation came around the same time as my first severe acne breakout. I sought out the fullest-coverage product I could possibly find within my $15 budget, and spent every morning before school spackling my face with it in a way that made me look nothing like myself, but at least it hid the zits that I was so mortified by.
For years (even after upping my budget for better products) I walked around with the same caked-on complexion, assuming that my skin was something that was meant to be covered up—not shown off in its fullest form.
But now, thanks to a shift in the beauty conversation that’s placed healthy, natural-looking skin at its forefront, that mindset has done a complete 180. So much so that my new favorite foundation offers almost no coverage at all.
Serum Foundation — $40.00Comes in 36 shades; I wear shade 11
Saie’s just-launched Glowy Super Skin Lightweight Hydrobounce Serum Foundation ($40)—the latest addition to a growing lineup of skin care-makeup hybrids that have taken the market by storm—makes my skin look like the best version of itself without covering anything up. It’s ultra-lightweight and breathable, so much so that it feels like I’m wearing nothing at all—a stark change from the layers upon layers of product I used to paint on before leaving the house every day.
As a brand, Saie has built its legacy on delivering high-performance, conscious formulas that enhance the skin on both the outside and the inside—and this foundation is no different. What really sets the product apart is its inclusion of skin-nourishing ingredients. More specifically, a trifecta of hydrators. The brand’s proprietary Hydrobounce Ccmplex combines two types of hyaluronic acid with rice bran peptides to hydrate and plump the skin; sugar-derived squalane locks in moisture; and polyglutamic acid offers added hydration and bounce.
As someone with classic combination skin that gets very dry in certain spots, I’m grateful to know that my makeup is working to keep it nourished as I run around all day—I like to think of it as a little extra boost to my a.m. and p.m. skin-care routines. Frankly, it looks and feels more like a serum than a foundation—likely because only 15 percent of the formula is attributed to pigment, while the other 85 percent is dedicated to skin-care actives—but leaves behind a smooth, subtle finish that I’ve fallen in love with.
Don’t get me wrong: My skin is still far from flawless. As I write this, I’ve got two honkin’ zits (one on my chin, another under my lower lip), some wonky textural stuff happening on my cheeks, and a smattering of acne scars all over. (If you’re reading this before it’s too late… don’t pick your skin!) And though the Saie foundation doesn’t necessarily make these elements disappear, it does make my skin look more even and gives it a luminous glow. “Super skin,” indeed.