Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation (old vs new formula)

Bourjois has reformulated their Healthy Mix foundation and I was curious to try it. The old version is one of my favorite drugstore foundations, but it is a bit too dark and yellow for me on most days. This is why I don’t reach for it all that often. The newer formula promises to be even more beneficial to your skin and it also comes in a very light shade: 51 Light Vanilla. Here’s how the old Healthy Mix formula compares to the new one.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation 51 Light Vanilla

Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation is a cult classic that is loved by many. It retails for around the €15 mark, but you can find it cheaper online. Or you can do what I did: buy it in an offer. I believe the store had a ‘all Bourjois face products for 8 euros sale going on’. It is in these sales that I prefer to buy foundations to begin with. I already reviewed the older formula in this old blog post. What do I think of this new foundation?

The Packaging

The packaging has been updated as much as the formula. It is still a glass bottle with a pump, but where the old foundation came in a round bottle, this one is square. The lid is a transparent red, while the old one was clear. Overall it is a bit more clean looking and I like the way this looks now.

The Product

What this foundation promises to give you is a radiant, glowy skin that is hydrated and no longer dull and tired looking. As the name suggests, this promises to give you fresh and healthy looking skin. Where that was most certainly true for the old formula, will it be the same for this one?

The Shade

While I loved the formula on the old Healthy Mix, it was the shade that was the biggest let down for me. It was simply a hair too dark for my super pale skin. I did continue to wear it on and off, especially in the summer months. I was under the impression that this foundation came in an even lighter shade than before, but that is not true: 51 Light Vanilla has always been the lightest shade available and it still is.

The Pump

One thing I like about the Healthy Mix foundation is the pump. Luckily that hasn’t changed. The pump is the exact same as on the old bottle, which makes it hygienic to use and easy to dispense. The pump dispenses just the right amount of product for one application.

Old vs New formula

Left: new formula
Right: old formula

The main difference between these two is one: the shade; and two: the texture. The new formula is simply a completely different foundation. It is a lot more thin and watery and has a pinky undertone once blended out. The old formula is thicker, lighter in color, but also has a quite yellow undertone. The coverage on the new foundation seems to be better, while the older one looks a little bit patchy.

The Formula

When you start blending this out you know why this new formula is my favorite one of the two. Its watery consistency allows for a very easy to blend foundation. Once blended out completely it is nearly undetectable on the skin, save for a radiant glow. On the back of my hand it still seemed a little bit too dark for me, but once I applied it to my face, I soon found out that this is a much better match for me than the old shade.

The Application

Left: no foundation
Right: new Healthy Mix formula on one half of my face

As you can see in this picture, this foundation looks very natural. It isn’t patchy, it is glowy and quite brightening. It covers my redness easily and there is a good even coverage. I would say this is a light to medium coverage foundation.

Old vs New

When you blend this out towards your neck, it is far less noticeable than in the older version. This is due to the thin consistency. Despite it looking darker in the swatch, this is a better shade match for me than the older formula. And see that shine on my cheek? That is JUST the foundation. I am not wearing anything but the foundation on the picture on the left.

The picture on the right shows you the new formula on the left, and the old formula on the right. The differences are small once applied to the face but they are there. The old formula is thicker, more difficult to blend nicely and is much more yellow toned. On me, I like the left side of my face more than the right, but if you didn’t know I was wearing two different foundations here, I’m sure you wouldn’t be able to tell a difference.

The Conclusion

I prefer the new Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation over the old formula. It is thinner, more lightweight and easier to blend. I also prefer the shade match on me. Because it has a thinner texture, this sheers out and blends into the skin much more than the old formula did. I think Bourjois did a great job updating this formula.

What is your favorite drugstore foundation?