Essence Fresh & Fit foundation

My first Essence foundation became a fact with the release of the new Fresh & Fit foundation. This foundation is the first one that appealed to me as it finally seemed to come in a light enough shade. Because that is the main issue with Essence foundation: the shade range. So how did I fair with this? 

Would you like to read about my experiences with the new 2021 version of this foundation? Please scroll to the end of the blog post.

Essence Fresh & fit Awake Makeup Healthy Glow foundation 10 Fresh Ivory

This foundation costs €4.99 and is only available in 4 shades. So if you are super pale or any darker than medium, you will not be able to find a shade for you. And that is the main drawback of this foundation. My question was whether the lightest shade of this would be light enough for my skin tone. Most of the time Essence foundations are not only too dark but also too yellow and this is the first Essence foundation that seemed to be a little more pink toned.

The Packaging

This is one of the first foundations by Essence that comes in a glass bottle. And that is a plus because it makes the foundation look a lot more expensive then it actually is. The pump is a great addition and makes it so much easier to use the foundation. The pump does feel a little flimsy: it is not as sturdy as most foundation pumps.

The Swatch

The texture of this foundation is quite thick. It has a very cream like consistency but it is not difficult to blend. That does mean that I feel this foundation is best for dry to normal skin. If you have oily skin this may not be for you.

There is a bit of a scent to this foundation that is very fresh, but it does smell a little artificial. The shade is a little bit too dark against my hand, but the foundations blends well and once blended in you cannot really see much of the foundation on the back of my hand.

The Application

before | half | full face

The coverage of this foundation is great. It covers everything I need to cover. The lasting power of this isn’t too great though. I feel this breaks up quite quickly and does need a primer to truly last. Because of the thick consistency this has a tendency to pull into lines, but if you blend well, this can easily be resolved.

On my face the shade is a little too dark and yellow. This is a shade that looks okay at the end of summer, but it is quickly becoming less suitable. It takes quite a bit of blending to make the foundation blend into my skin and have a flawless application. When applying this I prefer using a makeup sponge, such as a Beauty Blender: this helps to sheer out the foundation and really press it into the skin. This makes the foundation longer lasting.

The Conclusion

For an affordable foundation this really isn’t too bad, but it isn’t the longest lasting and the shade is unfortunately too dark for me. With a little bit of work though, the Essence Fresh & Fit foundation is a nice foundation that gets the job done. I haven’t used it long enough to say anything about the skincare properties this boasts of having, but it does feel nourishing on the skin.

Would you want to try Essence’s Fresh & Fit foundation?

Essence Fresh & Fit foundation 2021 version update review

So Essence decided to rerelease this foundation a bit out of the blue. The biggest change here is that this is now vegan and it comes in even lighter shade than the previous one. I bought 05 Fresh Porcelaine which is now the lightest shade on offer. It contains a vitamin complex and niacinamide and should last up to 12 hours. I remember quite liking this foundation in the past and I kept it around for years as it was the only foundation by Essence that really worked for me.

What does this foundation have to offer?

The Essence Fresh & Fit foundation has been reformulated. Not only to include some new ingredients, but also to be fully vegan. It is supposed to be glowy foundation with some hydrating factors. It should be lightweight and give a natural finish. It comes with a glass bottle with a pump, but overall the packaging is quite standard.

How does the foundation swatch?

It indeed has a lightweight, slightly runny texture. That’s different from the previous one which is much thicker when pumped out and comes out in more of a whipped consistency. That said, I wasn’t able to put the two foundations side by side as I no longer own the first Fresh & Fit. Since then, Essence has released the Pretty Natural foundation which I liked better than that and which I also like better than this.

As you can see here, this foundation has a natural finish, isn’t super glowy, but it does cover up my redness. I feel this is a light to medium coverage foundation and I like how this sits on the skin. For how affordable this is (at just 4.99) I think it is a good foundation, but it isn’t my favorite. It has that typical cheap foundation scent and I don’t love the way this sits on my skin throughout the day. It doesn’t look cakey or oily per se, but I would rather spend a little bit more and get a foundation that I feel makes my makeup look great all day long.

What is the shade match like?

As you can see here, the foundation matches me okay but it’s not a great match. It is a bit too yellow and I feel you can see it sitting on my skin, even when I first applied it. You can also see it clearly in some of the lines around my mouth and I feel that is not a good look. I wish Essence would do better shades and also include cool and neutral undertones so that there is something affordable for everyone in terms of foundation.

My final htoughts

The updated version of the Essence Fresh & Fit foundation is better than the previous one, but it is not the best foundation I ever used. I think that if you don’t have that many demands for a foundation that you might like this, but I know that Essence currently has a better foundation in their line, which is why I cannot rate this that highly. The only thing I would say is if you find it important that your makeup is cruelty free and free from animal (by) products then I think this is a very affordable offering on the market for sure.

Have you tried the updated version of the fresh & Fit foundation yet?