An Honest Review of r.e.m. beauty’s Viral Sweetener Foundation

I want to begin by prefacing two things: I completely abandoned the foundation in my makeup routine almost a year ago, and despite being a huge Arianator, I felt pretty indifferent towards the r.e.m. beauty makeup launch. The only product I was impressed by—which I've been very vocal about—was their lip stain.

With any foundation, my expectations are lower because I have sensitive skin, and no foundation has been able to give me that lightweight, skin-like finish that I prefer. Instead, I usually opt for a skin tint or spot concealing.

However, when I read the ingredient list for the new Sweetener Foundation (and saw how viral it was on TikTok), I instantly became intrigued by it. It has two ingredients I love, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, and also is infused with raspberry leaf extract.

The team was very kind to let me try out the product. Keep reading to hear my honest review of the Sweetener Foundation!

Where Can You Purchase It?

The Sweetener Foundation is available exclusively at Ulta Beauty and r.e.m. beauty's website for $35.

 

 

Also read about: 5 Dewy Foundations to Give You a Flawless, Radiant Glow

 

Applying the Foundation

The brand describes the Sweetener Foundation as a medium-buildable coverage. I rarely wear medium-to-full coverage foundations, so I was slightly concerned that this would feel too thick on my skin.

With most foundations, I use a spatula to apply it because it gives it the thinnest application, but sometimes, that doesn't stop a fuller coverage foundation from looking (and feeling) cakey. And, of course, I did skin prep before with my usual creams, moisturizer and sunscreen.

Luckily, this application applied beautifully. Yes, it provided a more opaque coverage than my usual skin tints and tinted moisturizers, but I didn't mind it because it was comfortable on my face. It has a buttery texture (in the best way possible), and the skincare ingredients made it seem like I was applying a serum rather than a foundation.

When I applied this foundation, it felt like I had a veil of perfection draped across my face. It lives up to every claim: it blurs your skin to look pore-free, which I have never seen a foundation do, and my entire face looked bright and youthful. 

And most importantly, the product doesn't look fake. My biggest issue with the foundation is that I don't like it to look like it's there. The Sweetener Foundation is the first I have owned in over eight years of wearing makeup that truly looks like skin.

 

Also read about: The Best Eyeshadow Palettes for Brown Eyes

 

Wear Test

I hardly ever wear a foundation for more than eight hours—and I kept this foundation on for six hours.

I'm also very much a lazy girl with makeup, so I don't want to think about having to re-apply or touch up my foundation with powder. When I looked at myself, I was happy to discover that the foundation looked as good as it had upon its initial application. There was no bunching into dry patches or sliding off in my oily T-zone.

 

Also read about: 6 Innovative Lip Oils to Hydrate Your Lips All Day Long

 

Bottom Line

The Sweetener Foundation made me open-minded about wearing foundation again. Maybe not for other brands, but I will pick this foundation up again and again.

And as I mentioned earlier, I wasn't excited by r.e.m. beauty during its first launch. However, I think Ariana and her team are learning what works best for the brand and going above and beyond to improve the quality of the product. The Sweetener Foundation is evidence of that.

This product was the only foundation I've ever worn with a formula I have zero complaints about. I love that it has skincare for everyone who wants to wear makeup on acne-prone skin and not worry about having a massive breakout the next day. It has a flawless texture that reduces the appearance of "imperfections," which made me feel more confident while wearing it.

It's an extremely versatile product because of its buildable coverage. So you'll still enjoy it even if you're like me and prefer a natural makeup look. But even if you want something bolder, you don't have to go out and buy a new foundation.

As a Black woman, I'm often wary of foundations and their shade range. I was shade-matched to Medium 2N by the r.e.m. team (and yes, it was, in fact, a perfect match), but I've still struggled to find a color in other brands that didn't look too orange. It makes my heart feel very full that this foundation has 60 shades from the lightest to deepest skin tones and a variety of undertones.

For me to ever choose another foundation in the future, it would have to be magic in a bottle. I'd argue that this product already is that.

 

Want to hear more of our reviews? Read HERE our honest opinion on the DryBar Double Shot Blow-Dryer Brush.