Motives Custom Blend Foundation - Review and Swatches

Hello Lovelies,

Today, I'll be reviewing this foundation, which was provided to me by Motives Cosmetics for review. One thing I appreciate about custom blend foundations is that they are specifically customized the formula for your skin type, skin color, and the coverage that you're looking for. Other than Motives and Prescriptives, I don't know who else does custom blend foundation.

I usually have a really hard time getting the right shade when purchasing drugstore foundations or when purchasing online. More than often, I would end up with a color that does not match and I usually have to have another foundation to mix it with in order to get a shade that is closer to my skin tone.

Typically, you would need to be present in order to have the foundation blended to match your skin color; however, since that was impossible in my case, I had to provide a few pictures of myself without any makeup and in natural daylight. I also told Motives that in most brands, the second or third lightest color have been the closest to my skin color and that I have neutral undertone. I'm happy to say that they did a pretty good job matching the foundation color to my skin.

Here's what's in my custom blend:

• Light to medium coverage
• Natural finish
• oil control for my T-Zone
• moisturizer
• a bit of SPF

Now before we get into the nitty gritty stuff about this foundation, here's some stats about my skin. My skin is usually in pretty good condition on most days. I'm not acne prone but I get the occasional pimple, depending on stress and that time of the month. I exfoliate regularly, like 2-3 times a week, and I cleanse and  moisturize my face twice a day. I'm a bit oily on the T-zone, otherwise my skin is normal in other areas. I have some light freckles on my cheeks, uneven skintone, and some acne scars that I want my foundation to cover. On typical days, I prefer light to medium coverage. I don't feel the need to always look flawless but I like my face to look awake, refreshed, and natural. Being pale can often make me look like I'm sick.

Packaging

• Standard glass bottle with a frosted finish. Unfortunately, it didn't come with a pump dispenser. I'm pretty sure that's a bummer for a lot of people, including myself. 
• I don't know exactly how much product is in that bottle since it doesn't say on the label but I would estimate that it looks to me like 1 oz.

Product

• The formula on mine was rather thin and runny. However, when I applied it, I felt that it set quite quickly.
• When I did one layer, I didn't notice much other than it evened out my skin tone. When I added a second layer, I was happy to see that it provided a medium coverage without looking cakey. 
• The finish was semi-matte and looked quite natural. I didn't feel the need to use a powder because it didn't make me look shiny.
• I didn't detect any offensive, paint-like odor, coming from this foundation, which some foundation tend to have. It only had a very faint cosmetic scent to it. I don't know how to describe it but it's very subtle. You won't smell anything unless you put your nose right on top of it.
• Another thing I noticed that this foundation does very well is controlling the oil on my T-zone. After 6 hours of wear, I see no shine. I was pretty happy about that. Not too many foundations can do that for me. 
• I typically look for a foundation that last 8-12 hours as I am too busy for any touch up. I am very pleased with the longevity of foundation. After 8 hours of wear, I barely notice any fading. 

Final Thought

This foundation pretty much has everything that I expect and need in a foundation, well that's the beauty and advantage of being custom made and that's what makes this foundation special and different from others. You tell them what you want and they'll concoct the perfect formulation for you. What more can I ask for? I suppose a pump dispenser would be nice.

My rating: 9.5/10.

Price: $35-45, depending on add on and customizations.
Available at http://www.motivesatlanta.com

If you by any chance decide to purchase from Motives, I would greatly appreciate if you put me as reference when you register. My email is xxxbeautyredefinedxxx@gmail.com. Motives has agreed to give 15% to 20% discount for my audience so be sure to mention that you were referred through my blog. You may message them for more detail on the discount. Also, purchase over $100 qualifies for free shipping. Let me know if  you have any questions. :)

Have you ever used a custom blend foundation? If yes, where did you get yours and how did you like it?