Maybelline SuperStay Better Skin Foundation

~ stashy

Earlier this year, when I asked for suggestions for what to redeem for during the Optimum Points Redemption event, the Maybelline SuperStay Better Skin Foundation was a recommendation by Kazzmarie. I originally selected the shade 20 Classic Ivory, but then I was worried it was too light, so I exchanged it unopened for the next shade up, 25 Nude Beige.
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It normally retails for C$17.99 for 30ml.

I had purged my previous long wearing drugstore foundation, the CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous foundation (which I love), and was in the market to try something new. The important attributes for me in a foundation are: easy to apply, good colour match, and medium but natural looking coverage.  For reference, I have normal / combination skin that isn’t overly oily or dry but my t-zone does show shine by early afternoon.

The description by Maybelline for this foundation is as follows:
• Improves skin (brighter, smoother and more even)
• Ideal for sensitive skin
• Good for all skin types
• Medium to full coverage

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The full display at Shoppers Drug Mart

It comes 12 shades:
10 Porcelain
15 Ivory
20 Classic Ivory
25 Nude Beige
30 Warm Nude
40 Buff Beige
50 Natural Beige
70 Pure Beige
80 Rich Tan
85 Sun Beige
90 Warm Honey
95 Coconut

The deeper shades didn’t seem all that dark to me, and some of the mid-range shades look really similar to each other.
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The formula is a thicker cream liquid but really easy to blend, I can apply this with my fingers and it doesn’t leave streaks. My preferred method of application is with a Beauty Blender type sponge for more coverage.  The coverage is a solid medium – I gauge this by how much it covers my freckles. This covers the majority of my freckles but do not mask them completely. The finish is like a satin matte – not overly matte or flat looking. I found the wear time on this to be really good – I didn’t experience any breaking down of the foundation or rubbing off during the day.  It didn’t keep me as shine-free as the CoverGirl Outlast did though.

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A pump should be standard on all foundation, in my opinion! 😛

This foundation does feature SPF 15 and when I glanced at the active ingredients, I was quite excited because the sunscreen is in the form of a mineral one: Titanium Dioxide. I would have preferred Zinc, which is a broad spectrum sunscreen that also shields UVA rays. But, having the mineral sunscreen is definitely a good thing for people who are sensitive to chemical sunscreens.  I did not experience any break out or sensitivity to this foundation.

Ingredients:
Sunscreen: Titanium Dioxide (1.53%)
Other: Water, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Polypropylsilsesquioxane, C30-45 Alkyldimethylsilyl Polypropylsilsesquioxane, Silica, Glycerin, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Dimethicone / Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer, Sodium Chloride, Nylon-12, Phenoxyethanol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Panthenol, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Disodium Edta, Acrylonitrile / Methyl Methacrylate / Vinylidene Chloride, Copolymer, Aluminum Hydroxide, Dipropylene Glycol, Zinc Gluconate, Magnesium Aspartate, Paraffin, Copper Gluconate. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides.
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The only iffy claim for me is this:

With micro-flex technology and the antioxidant power of Actyl-C., this foundation reduces the appearance of spots, bumps, dullness and redness to give you brighter, smoother and more even skin.

I’ve been wearing this foundation regularly this summer and I haven’t seen any noticeable improvements to my skin. o_O
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I mentioned earlier that I exchange the shade from 20 Classic Ivory to 25 Nude Beige – I should have stuck with my original choice. The foundation applies darker than how it appears in the bottle. And it does oxidize slightly, making Nude Beige too peachy looking on my skin once it sets. I didn’t wear this foundation much earlier in the year (I got this in February) but have been wearing it regularly in the summer months since I’m slightly darker now – I just make sure I blend down my neck.
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Here’s how Maybelline SuperStay in Nude Beige compares to other foundations I’m currently using:
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• Shiseido Sheer and Perfect in o20 Natural Light Ochre (ugh, I just saw this foundation listed in “Last Call” on the Shiseido site! Whyyyy…) – I normally wear i20 Natural Light Ivory but I got the Ochre to try, it’s too peachy for me
• Make Up For Ever Face & Body in Ivory 20 – slightly orange
• Maybelline SuperStay in 25 Nude Beige
• Illamasqua Skin Base in 7.5 – very ochre and dark (I got this as a mixer)
• Illamasqua Skin Base in 6.5 – good match for my winter skin tone, slight too light now

As much as I prefer non-drugstore brands for foundations (due to wider colour range and ability to sample before committing), I always reserve at least one drugstore foundation in my rotation.  If you’re looking for a drugstore foundation option, I do highly recommend Maybelline SuperStay – it’s more suitable for normal, combo, or slightly dry skin, but not for really oily or very dry skin types.  For oilier skin types, I recommend the CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous foundation. For dry skin, I recommend Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation.

Pros:
• Easy to apply
• Medium coverage
• Looks natural
• Long wearing formula
• Mineral sunscreen
• Pump bottle
• Decent colour range (still lacking darker colours)

Cons:
• Oxidizes slightly
• Unsure about skin benefits

Stash worthiness: 9/10

This is an easy to wear, no fuss foundation featuring mineral sunscreen, and this is why I listed it in my last favourites. For comparison, I would rate the CoverGirl Outlast foundation a 10/10, simply because it doesn’t oxidize on me, the colour match is great, and it lasts slightly longer than the Maybelline.

Have you tried this foundation? What’s your current favourite drugstore foundation?

64 thoughts on “Maybelline SuperStay Better Skin Foundation”

  1. I’ll have to try out the CoverGirl one next time I’m out of drugstore foundation! This one just didn’t cut it for me as it warmed up and my combo skin got to be much more oily. I don’t think I’ve ever tried a CoverGirl foundation!

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  2. Awesome Review! I’ve always heard the Maybelline Fit Me was a good foundation but I like that you tried the SuperStay because I haven’t heard much about it. Love that there is SPF and that it’s easy to blend with your fingers! I love not needing to wet a beauty blender to apply foundation especially when I’m in a rush in the morning.

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    1. I’ve not tried Fit Me because it seems really watery? For some reason, I tend to go for formulas that are touted as long wearing from the drugstore – I feel like their version of long wearing is equal to medium wear at higher end brands. 😛 I’m wearing this foundation today and I didn’t use a sponge, it looks great!

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      1. Good to know! I really don’t like spending too much time blending out my foundation – I just want to slap it on and go- and its seems like you can do just that with this one. I’ll have to revisit drugstore foundations seems like there are some really good one out there. Last one I tried was the L’Oréal Lumi Cushion which I was into for and hot second.

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          2. Really? I am loving the gimmick *LOL* easy for travel wahaha L’oreal lumi is doing really well for me. I hated the Laniegie white packaged one though, it was sooooo tacky. I threw it away after 3 uses haha. It’s okay, bitchy reviews are good too 😉

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            1. I guess cushion is slightly better for travel… but 99% of people buying them aren’t using them for travel! And I have no issues bringing my little bottle of Shiseido foundation in the plastic tube when I travel, or a compact / powder foundation is fine too. I will do my full rant on cushion foundations when I post that review! 😛

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    1. I don’t know why but I always have at least one drugstore foundation. I want to believe that there’s the perfect foundation at the drugstore level (and I did find that in the CoverGirl Outlast). And I refuse to pay the sky high prices at Sephora – when is it ok to pay $70 for a foundation? I guess I’m still stuck on $40 for a foundation…

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  4. Yay, solid rating on this drugstore foundation! The finish seems to be really nice – very natural looking. It’s awesome that it has a mineral sunscreen in it, too.
    I tend to stay away from drugstore foundations due to not being able to try out the foundation before purchasing…with that being said, Bourjois Healthy Mix has been on my list of products to try for YEARS.

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    1. Bourjois Heralthy Mix has a really nice finish but it doesn’t last very well on me. Your skin is on the drier side so I think you’ll get on well with it. You’re probably the shade 53 Beige Clair – that was my summer shade. 52 Vanille also works but for winter.
      I was really surprised how natural looking this foundation was – I had my doubts but since I redeemed points for it, I had nothing to lose!

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        1. Oh me too. I had the 53 Beige Clair and it was a good colour for summer time, but I just remembered that it does oxidize so you are probably better off with 52 Vanille! 🙂

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    1. I’ve not tried any Maybelline foundations before this! I was really impressed. I’m not sure if it’s official yet but it looks like Shiseido is discontinuing that Sheer & Perfect foundation. I’m sad, it’s my FAVOURITE foundation. 😦 But I guess good things don’t last forever!

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  6. I literally just bought this foundation a week ago to try out! haha. I ended up getting the Classic Ivory shade and it works well on my skin tone..no Summer tan this year..bummer!
    I too, like to keep a drugstore foundation in my rotation- especially to use during the work week so I don’t waste my more expensive foundation on going to work. 🙂
    I’ve applied this with a beauty blender and a brush, both work really well- haven’t tried it using just my fingers though!
    I actually think this foundation may beat out my beloved Revlon Colorstay as my favorite drugstore foundation that I have sworn by for years! This one just seems to be a tad more “natural” looking on the skin. Can’t believe I just said that, because the Colorstay has really been my be all end all.

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    1. Ooh good to know about how it compares to Revlon ColorStay because that’s on my hit list. I know it’s a cult favourite and lots of people swear by it but I’ve never tried it. And I’ve noticed that Revlon recently added a PUMP to the bottle – yay! I’ll still try the Revlon likely, since I do think their colour matches me better.
      Interesting your reason to keep drugstore foundation on rotation. I never thought to use less expensive makeup for work – I figured I’m at work more than anything else, I might as well use whatever performs the best.

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      1. Definitely still try the Revlon Colorstay! It will always be one of my favorites and i’m sure ill go back to it, but i’m really enjoying the Maybelline at the moment!
        The Revlon does have a pump now which makes it even better, for sure! I also like that it has a bottle you can use for dry skin, and one you can use for oily/combo skin- that’s a huge plus.
        Yeah, i’ve always used my less expensive makeup at work- even mascara haha. I’ve always just reserved my nicer makeup for the weekends, so weird, I know!

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  7. Even thought it’s not CF, I did get to try this free from Influenster once and I wish I could buy it! It actually reminds me a lot of the Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation. Like you, I didn’t really notice any skin benefits but I guess you’d have to wear it for many, many moons to know for sure 😛

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    1. I’d love to do a blind test on foundations – between high end and drugstore – to see if there really ARE that much of a difference! I just think that higher end is all about packaging and sometimes added fragrance, but drugstore foundations seem to be delivering. Too bad it’s not CF though. What’s a CF foundation option at the drugstore that you like?

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      1. I agree with you 150% which is why it’s so painful for me to buy foundation. There are NO good CF options at the drugstore. There are a few that are okay, but all the major brands that make good foundation (Revlon, Maybelline and L’oreal) all test 😦 A blind test would be awesome, though!

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  10. I love the coverage & finish. But this mofo does not set right on me for some reason. It always has. Slight sticky/tacky feeling even hours later (and yet u always set my foundation with powder). I’m just using it up on days I don’t give a rat’s patooie what foundation I’m wearing that day. 😊

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    1. I remember you saying that it never set on you. So weird! I can actually get away with not setting this with a powder if I want. Have you tried mixing this with another long wearing foundation to see how it behaves?

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      1. I use MAC studio fix foundation and it’s my most favorite foundation ever and MUFE ultra HD foundation which is really good as well. In drugstore I love maybelline fit me and loreal infallible matte foundation 🙂 Have you tried any of these before?

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        1. I tried MAC Studio Fix a long time ago and I don’t remember if I liked it or not – I think I need to try it again! I haven’t tried the new MUFE Ultra HD foundation – I had their original HD foundation and I had to return it because it broke me out! I’m scared to try the new one because of that! Maybe I’ll get a sample to test first. Thanks for letting me know which ones you’re wearing! 🙂

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  12. I have this (its in a cylinder bottle here rather than rectangular) and i really didn’t like it but as you said that’s probably because I have oily skin! It looked horrible after only a few hours! Mine is a super light shade so now i just use it to mix with darker foundations! Great review its so thorough 🙂 xx

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    1. Yes I noticed that in the UK the bottle is different than in North America – strange!
      Sorry to hear that it’s not suited for your skin type! I know you don’t have CoverGirl there but I think the Max Factor equivalent to the CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous foundation is the FaceFinity 3-in-1 foundation:
      http://maxfactor-international.com/make-up-products/face/foundation/max-factor-all-day-flawless-3-in-1-foundation
      (I’m sure it is since the Outlast Stay Fabulous is also called 3-in-1)

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  13. I found this foundation quite dark when applied as well. I had it sent to me through Influenster, and when I did the survey I chose Ivory because the picture in the survey had it looking lighter than porcelain (which was odd, but I went with it). When I got it though, it was so dark that it was pretty much unwearable. I should have gone with porcelain. I find Maybelline is usually too warm toned and too dark for me in general though which is a bummer. I did test the foundation anyways (compensated with light concealer so I looked like less of a Oompa Loompa) and really enjoyed how it applied and wore.

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    1. Yes, Porcelain would have been better for you. I think likely all of the shades run dark, and with the slight oxidization, it’s probably better to go down a shade. I will mix mine with a lighter shade to use it up when I’m my winter shade!

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  16. I’m a huge fan of titanium dioxide too!! I remember the first drugstore that had that was Revlon colourstay foundation (with Cindy Crawford as the cover girl).

    Please also try out the Bourjois healthy mix foundation (52 was my pick, it is slightly lighter but the hue was good). Will love to hear your opinion about this drugstore goodie 😀

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    1. Haha we’re titanium dioxide fan girls! 😉
      I tried the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum and it was pretty good but it oxidized on me and after wearing it for the day, it would smell funny. Has that ever happened to you? I will likely try the Healthy Mix one day – it would probably be more of a winter foundation for me. I’m glad you found a shade match finally! 🙂

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      1. Ja, after swatching for days wahaha 😂 finally. I haven’t used the serum version my face, but on my arm it didn’t oxidize. Hm.. I’ll try it on my face and check. I like the fruity smell though. The whole healthy mix range smells nice 😍

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  17. I’ve been eyeing this foundation for a while, so I was pumped to see your review! My drugstore foundation bar has been set by the CG Outlast foundation as well, my only frustration with it is how pink the shade ranges run.
    Happy to hear this one has been given your stamp of approval – I think I’m going to give it a try the next time I see it on sale!

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    1. Ooh I just realized I never answered your comment! For shame…
      I’d say this one is similar to the CG Outlast but I find the Outlast to last slightly better – and oddly enough, the colours are a better match for me. If you do pick this up, make sure to go lighter than you think you need based on the bottle colour.

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