Dior Backstage Face and Body Foundation Review
Dior Backstage Face and Body Foundation Review
Buying the Foundation
I like Dior so I was okay trying the Face and Body. The guy helping was really nice and took his time prepping my skin and applying the makeup, he did everything fine. At the time, I didn’t realize the color was off. He matched me with 3N and I should have been a 2CR, 2.5N, or a 3CR. Despite being slightly tan , I have COOL pink undertones. I can usually use a neutral shade if the cool shades in a line are too ashy and not pink. Everyone at this location was super friendly, so I would definitely return.
Packaging
The box it came is nice and chic, it looks great. Unfortunately, the actual bottle isn’t that great. It is simple and underwhelming, it doesn’t feel or look like a higher-end foundation. The bottle is like a plastic or rubber situation. It has like a dropper applicator and it is really messy and I hate it. The cap is the only thing I like about it because it has a pressed logo on the top. Packaging isn’t a deal breaker for me, as long as the product works. It is also nice that it is 1.6 fl oz, compared to most foundations being 1 oz or less.
Shade Range
On the box it says they have shades to suit all skin tones. The foundation comes in 40 different shades, ranging from 1(lightest) and 9(darkest). The undertones are C- Cool, N- Neutral, W- Warm, CR-Cool Rosy, WO- Warm Olive, and WP- Warm Peach. Past 4C, there are no more cool shades they are only W, WP, or N. :/ I can’t say that that covers all skin tones, especially since I don’t know if the darkest will be dark enough for everyone. Foundations definitely need to come in more shades and undertones, but I’m going to stay in my own lane when it comes to that issue. I took a picture of the foundation on my hand, no oxidization, and you can tell that it is too warm.
Prep and Prime
My daytime routine is usually pretty minimal so I just cleanse, tone, and apply moisturizer. I’m still using the no.7 Early Defense Day Cream with SPF 30. It is not ideal for my skin type, but it does not change how the foundation wears throughout the day. Using a primer is the first issue I have with this foundation. The guy at Sephora told me not to use a matte primer or it would make my skin look too dry. I have oily skin so usually matte primers are my go-to. I tried every single primer I have and the only one that worked was the Wet N’ Wild Photofocus Matte primer. It is one of my favorites btw. ;) I even tried hydrating and dewy primers. This is a big issue for me because a good foundation should work with primers that work well. I forgot to take a picture before I put on the foundation so I took one after I took off my makeup.
Application and Coverage
The guy at Sephora did recommend using a stippling brush, but I have been using a dense flat foundation brush. For this review, I did use the MAC 130 brush, and it gave me the best results. Of course. :P I apply it on my hand and then use a brush to put it on my face and blend it out. It is too watery to apply it directly to my face and it sinks too deep into the brush. I also tried using a blender and it gave me no coverage at all. It says on the box to use 1 layer and your fingers for “light nude coverage”. Not going to happen I will never use my fingers. 2 layers with a flat brush, working from the center for a “medium coverage.” 3 layers, a flat brush, and circular motions for “full perfection coverage.” I use a lot of foundation just to get medium coverage. After I apply the “2nd layer”, it just starts getting cakey and moves around. It is not buildable. I usually use a mattifying powder to finish things off. I sometimes use concealer with this, but I will get to that in the next section. It says it’s a Natural Glow finish, and it is when you first put it on. It does not cover my pores but it does even out my skin tone. I would say it is a medium coverage foundation. I just used a little NYX #nofilter Finishing Powder on the day I took these pictures. Below is with and without.
Wear Throughout the Day
This foundation does have a scent and it is strong when you apply it, but it goes away after a little while. When you first apply it, it feels very oily and sticky and it feels so uncomfortable. I feel so relieved removing it at the end of the day. The box says it is sweat resistant, waterproof, “extreme condition-proof.” No. It starts to break up within hours of wearing it, the oil comes through right away, and it is does not stand up well to heat and humidity. I don’t do anything physically demanding at work so it should hold up. It looks bad by the time I get to work. I tried using blotting papers and it takes the product off my face. This foundation is horrifying. It is so embarrassing when it starts to get bad. I also want to say that no concealer has worked with this foundation. The areas where I use concealer are the first to break up, I even tried baking my concealer. For these pictures, I didn’t use concealer that day. The pictures below are the end of the day(about 9 hours of wear). It oxidizes, it doesn’t turn orange but it gets 1-2 shades darker. My skin looks better without this on.
Pros
There are a lot of shades and they label the undertones. I like that they don’t come up with shade names, just numbers and undertones.
The box it comes in is pretty.
The cap is nice.
It makes your face look blurry from a distance. Like far away.
It comes with more product than most foundations.
Cons
The darker shades are only warm or neutral.
The neutral shades are more warm.
The bottle is plastic/rubber and feels cheap.
The dispenser is messy and gross.
It is too watery and oily.
Very hard to work with.
The fragrance is unpleasant and could be overwhelming on people sensitive to fragrance.
Does not cover pores and gets cakey if you put too much on.
You can only use a few primers to make it work.
It is uncomfortable heavy.
It oxidizes(1-2 shades).
It breaks up.
It only looks good for about an hour.
It is bad for oily skin.
Final Thoughts
I really wanted to love this foundation. I love Dior cosmetics and I really do like the Diorskin Nude BB Creme and every other Dior product I have bought. This just didn’t cut it for me. The other day I spent almost 3 times longer doing my complexion makeup than I normally do just to give it the benefit of the doubt. I have tried this foundation with multiple primers, multiple application techniques, multiple applicators, multiple powders, and I got ONE good day of wear. I have been using this since November. It is frustrating because I have never tried so hard to make a foundation work. It looks so bad. I would only recommend this to people with normal skin who want light coverage. If you have oily skin or dry skin, this foundation is not going to work for you. If you are oily, it will emphasize pores and it get’s really shiny. If you are dry, it will emphasize texture, irritate your skin and make the dryness worse. If you want to try this, get a sample and wear it for a day before you buy it. My skin is fussy and that may not be the case for everyone. I’m only giving it a 2.5 because it did look decent the last time I wore it. So it is somewhat salvageable, but it is way to difficult to figure out what to use with it. I am just going to keep this as backup, but it’s highly unlikely that I will ever wear it again. I will link all of the products I used below. They are affiliate links and I do make a commission off purchases. You can support me or you can go to the store and buy them on your own. Up to you <3
