Yes we are reviewing foundations for now. Why?! Because these have been on the backburner for a while now and I first want to get through the reviews I was already planning to do before moving on to knew stuff. So this week and possibly also next week you’ll be getting some review on products I have been wanting to talk about for a while. So today we are looking into Kiko. I love Kiko and their Instamoisture foundation in 1 R looked like it would be right up my street. When I wanted to do a full face of Kiko, I decided to pick this up to include one of their foundation. The first Kiko foundation I ever tried. How did it go?
Review: Kiko Milano Insta Moisture foundation 1R Rose SPF 25
So Kiko is a brand that isn’t too expensive as it isn’t quite high end but also not that affordable. To me this is on par with a Maybelline or L’Oreal price wise, so let’s call it high end drugstore pricing. That also shows in the price point of this foundation: at €14.99 this foundation isn’t super expensive but it also isn’t that cheap. It is more smack in the middle in terms of price range. It is available in 31 shades of which 1 R is one of the lightest ones. According to the website there is one more shade that is lighter: 1 N. This was the lightest shade I could find in store though and it looked like it could be a great match, so I decided to try it.
What does the Kiko Milano foundation have to offer?
So the Insta Moisture foundation or Instamoisture foundation if you’d like does exactly what the name might suggest: it is a hydrating foundation that has a bit of an SPF and a pump packaging. It comes in a stylish glass bottle that makes this look far more expensive than it actually is. There is a lid and a pump: the pump needs to be twisted in order for the pump to work. I messed that up the first few times I used this and now I think I may have broken the pump a bit and it no longer works as easily. That’s a bummer because I like my foundations to be easy to use and this makes it a little bit cumbersome.
What does this foundation look like in a swatch?
The Kiko website describes this product as a hydrating foundation with a lightweight texture and a glowy finish and I feel that is exactly what we get. The coverage should be medium but I think this is a light to buildable medium coverage foundation. As you can see in the swatches above, this foundation has a thin, but not too watery texture. It is not as rich and creamy as I’d like for the winter season but this kind of texture is actually perfect for year round: no matter the season you can easily make it work. It is maybe not as glowy as I’d like once blended in, but the shade blends in nicely and there is no obvious texture and it isn’t a fully matte foundation either.
What is the shade match like?
So out of all the shades available I went with one of the lightest shades. My one issue with many Kiko products is that they are too dark or too warm toned. Especially their limited editions cater more to people with medium skin tones and not something as fair and cool toned as me. But I find shade 1 R to be quite the perfect shade match for me. It is light enough, it has the right undertone and save for some redness I had in my neck, there really isn’t proof here that the shade doesn’t match with my face. So yes, it’s a thumbs up when it comes to the shade match from me.
What is the coverage like?
Now we all know: I love a lightweight texture and a light coverage myself. I am just not about that full coverage life. This foundation does exactly what I need it to do. It’s perhaps a bit more coverage than I would like, but it is certainly a good one. As you can see on the left I have some redness mainly in the middle of my face. The foundation completely covers that up, but I do need two pumps of product ot reach this level of coverage. In short: use one pump and you will have something with a lighter coverage, use two pumps and you get a light to medium coverage that looks quite natural but isn’t too glowy.
My final thoughts
The Kiko Instamoisture foundation in 1R is one that I am really happy with. It didn’t wow me, but for the price I think this is a good foundation that I think many people can get down with. It may not be the best for you if you have oily skin because this is more hyrdating on the skin. However, on my dry skin this has good lasting power and I can wear this all day without it looking atrocious. It wears well under a mask and it plays well together with primers and powders alike.
Would I recommend the Kiko Milano Instamoisture foundation?
Yes! This is a great foundation. There are a few minor drawbacks here such as the fact that my pump seems to be nearly broken already and the fact that this isn’t as glowy as I’d like. That said, this foundation has a lot going for it too. There are many shades available and the texture is great if you have a dry skin. There are many different undertones available yet and so I am very happy I got to try this.