review: urban decay all nighter foundation

I got a couple of requests for a review on Urban Decay’s All Nighter Foundation when I posted a photo of it on my Instagram feed, but as with all base products I like to test it for a while before I weigh in. So here we are, finally! Side note: how gorgeous is this bottle?

The first thing you should know about this foundation is that it’s super, SUPER pigmented and delivers ultra full coverage. The first time I used it, I made the mistake of going to town with two pumps on a dense brush and…it wasn’t a good look, you guys. I washed it off and started over with one full pump and still had loads of leftover on my hand. I’ve since realised I need maybe a half pump for my whole face. If you pick this up, please be smarter than me.

This foundation did oxidise on me a little so I’m glad I went down a shade (from 3.0 to 2.0 for my NC15-with-a-slight-tan face). I was kind of freaked out by how peachy the arm swatches were, but somehow this worked out really well on my face and turned out to be a better match for me than I expected.

For reference, here it is between two other major players in my current foundation rotation: Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Liquid Foundation in Y225 and IT Cosmetics’ CC Cream in Fair.

I tested application with both a dense brush and a Beauty Blender. Using this with a dense brush gave me flawless coverage in one layer; using a damp Beauty Blender gave me light to medium all-over coverage that I was able to build up in areas that needed it more (which is my personal preference). Even when I wore it as full coverage though, it felt really weightless on my skin which was a pleasant surprise. I used a half pump on a dense brush for this photo, and I think you can tell it was more than enough.

This foundation had a velvety matte finish which wont require powdering over if you have normal or dry skin. I have combo-oily skin and I noticed it wore better on the drier parts of my face like my cheeks. On my T-zone – in the tropical Singapore heat – I needed to blot lightly every 4 hours or so, but on days when I was indoors in the AC it lasted about 10 hours.

The two seconds it takes to blot is totally worth it however because at the end of each day, my base makeup still looked freshly applied and just flawless. I mean, this stuff does NOT fade. Or look tired. Or worn-in. So I definitely recommend it if your makeup needs to last through a full work day and still look good for after-work drinks or events. And did I mention it photographs beautifully? Because it photographs beautifully.

PS you can see more of this look in my Urban Decay Moondust Palette FOTD here, which has a full product list.

Overall, if you can find a colour match and are prepared to blot if necessary – which, lets face it, most of us combo-oily girls do anyway – this is an awesome fade-resistant foundation to own and an excellent value considering you’ll only ever need the tiniest amount each time.

This post features a product/products that were provided as press samples, however all opinions and observations are my own and not influenced by the brand or its PR team. This post contains affiliate links.