
I’ve been using this Maybelline Dream Radiant Liquid foundation for a few months now, probably close to a year and I’m finally ready to share my thoughts on and experience with it, with you today. With the name “Dream Radiant Liquid”, I thought it would be just that – a radiant liquid foundation, but it’s not, at least on my skin.
I originally got this because my mum uses it and loves it, and it looks fabulous on her. It looks healthy, radiant, glowy, youthful and almost flawless on her. My mum has dry skin, just as I do, but hers is obviously mature, whereas mine isn’t. Whilst I didn’t expect it to look as good on me, I thought it would look nice, particularly when paired with a glowy primer or illuminator (even though my mum uses either of these). I was wrong though.
This foundation never looks radiant, healthy, glowy or youthful on me. It looks dry, heavy, cakey, powdery, it oxidises and frankly, it looks awful. There aren’t many foundations or bases that look as bad this does, to be honest.
It sinks in to every fine line, emphasises textured areas and dry patches that don’t otherwise exist and it does not last all that well, either. It grabs on to the area between my brows, both of my cheeks, my chin and my upper lip and it looks as if my skin is extremely textured, when it is nowhere near as textured as this foundation make it appear.
As well as emphasising texture, it also emphasises flakiness between my brows and on the tip of my nose. It does this even if I use a physical exfoliator on my skin before applying any skincare or makeup, it still shows up dry, textured skin, that no other products or foundation ever does.
As soon as I start applying it either with my fingers, a brush, a damp or dry beauty blender is starts emphasising all the texture and flakiness. I have tried applying it with different products, different ways and it always looks the same.
I have used hydrating, glowy and illuminating primers before applying this (all together and separately) and mixed in with it, I have tried liquid illuminators before applying and mixed in with it and it will ALWAYS look the same. It literally never looks any difference. Even when I use a glowy primer and illuminator both on my skin before applying and mixing it with the foundation, it never looks glowy. Not even remotely.
I do like that it comes in glass bottle and has a pump. It’s easy to dispense the right amount and also to see how much is left/you’ve used. The bottle is weighty so probably not the best for flying or travelling abroad. It has a nice consistency. It’s has a creamy consistency that is slightly thick but its not so thick that it won’t run, either. The consistency is spot on.

I have the shade ‘03 True Ivory’, which is a good match when it is first applied, however it very quickly starts to oxidise and ends up being about 1 ½ shade darker than my natural skin and takes on an orangey undertone, I think. It looks very warm and not in a good way.
It feels quite heavy on my skin. I can feel it from the moment I apply it until the moment I remove my makeup. It’s like its just sitting on top of my skin. It’s transfers, too. If you touch your face you will see the spot where you touched it as the foundation will have come off. Forget this for wearing under masks. It doesn’t stay put.
I get to about 4-5 hours post-application before I feel like I really need to scrub it off. It feels and looks heavier and more cakey the longer I wear it, which I don’t like. Foundations and bases products that look and feel heavy are not for me personally. Bases that feel lighter are more comfortable for my skin.
I know I have very dry skin, but I use matte foundations that don’t even do what this does. I use other foundations that have the same/similar claims to this, and they also don’t do what this does. It’s quite disappointing as I had high hopes. It’s a great price too given that it’s only €13.99 and it’s currently on a 3-for-2 offer in Boots.
Thank you for reading, until next time, take care xx
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