TRIED & TESTED: A new plumping serum with the coverage of a foundation. Here's everything you need to know.

I’ve been working in beauty a long time. A reeeeally long time, actually. And in those many, many years, one thing has remained steady and consistent. Women are always asking how to make their skin look good. Glowy. Healthy. 

They don't ask me how they can make their makeup look good, which is an interesting difference. Sure, they know foundation or some sort of base product is going to be part of the equation when it comes to a luminous complexion, but the way they word it is always along the lines of “I want my skin to look amazing, what should I use?”

And thanks to the pandemic, meaning more of us are staying at home and wearing less makeup, the whole matte full coverage foundation trend has well and truly been put on the back burner. 

In its place is lighter, more sheer and more believable coverage. A complexion that looks like skin. Only it’s skin that's more even and more radiant. 

This trend has spurred on the creation of hybrid products that are part makeup, part skincare, and that work hard to not only make your skin look good, but actually do good things for it too.

Enter, L’Oreal Paris True Match Nude Tinted Serum, a product I have been trialling for the past few weeks now. Confused by the name? I was too. Is it a serum, or is it a foundation?

Image: Supplied. 

Well, it’s both. It’s actually a first to mass market product that is a makeup/beauty hybrid which combines the advantages of a skincare serum with the radiance and coverage of a foundation. 

It’s applied and worn at the step in which you’d use your foundation (or tinted moisturiser or BB/CC cream), but it features impressive skincare ingredients that offer tangible and measurable improvements to the skin. True Match Nude Tinted Serum, features 1 per cent pure hyaluronic acid and is proven in studies to smooth skin over time. 

To give it a go, I applied my skincare and sunscreen as normal, then the serum foundation. I really like the texture - it’s a fluid so nice and thin which means it feels weightless on the face. It blends beautifully and I could feel the hydration getting to work.

Image: Supplied. 

I only needed two, maybe three drops from the pipette - much like a serum, a little goes a long way. I’d say the coverage is light, with the capacity to build it up to medium. I just used my fingers to swipe it on the first time I wore it, and the second time I used it with a blending sponge which also gave a beautiful finish. I then applied under eye concealer and a light dusting of bronzer. The result was a really natural looking, glowy base that felt like I was almost wearing nothing.

True Match Nude Tinted Serum comes in nine shades, which the brand claims are ‘super blendable’. I decided to put that claim to the test by trying out a few different shades. Turns out that (on me at least) it was true. Light 2-3 was great on my complexion when I hadn't tanned, whereas Light Medium 3-4 worked wonderfully when I had tanned my body as it helped even out my whole look. 

Image: Supplied 

Surprisingly, it had decent staying power, too. Despite not being a long wear formula, my makeup stayed where I put it for the day and didn't require any touch-ups. It also didn't fall into the fine lines around my eyes - which is thanks to the juicy hyaluronic acid that works hard to hydrate and plump that area. 

Want to give it a go yourself? Well, good news! It’s available at Chemist Warehouse, both in stores and online. Once it’s in your hot little hands, don't forget to Shake the bottle well to activate the face serum before using. 

Get your hands on L’Oreal Paris True Match Nude Tinted Serum here.

Feature Image: Supplied.