I’m a bargain shopper through and through, so when I heard about this new foundation that was supposed to rival department store brands for under $6, I couldn’t pass up trying it.

The product is Photo Focus Foundation from Wet n’ Wild—yep, the same company you had a million bottles of crazy-colored nail polish from as a kid.

According to the company, the foundation was made “to deliver flawless camera-ready makeup every time. Specially made with a matte, light-diffusing complex to give your skin #nofilter perfection.”

Yes, they used the term #nofilter in their product description. I gotta give the marketing team props on that one.

But buzzwords aside, is the product any good?  In a word: kinda. Watch the video and read on below for my full review of this drugstore foundation (and a guest appearance from the real star around here, my cat Rick).

Wet n’ Wild Photo Focus Foundation Review

I bought the shade Buff Bisque, which is a light to medium color with neutral undertones. If I were to buy it again I’d go a shade or two darker, at least during the summer months.

The product comes in a bottle with a paddle applicator, which I had never used before. It took me a little while to get the hang of it; instead of squeezing the foundation onto your hand first, like I normally would, you just apply it directly to your face.

I watched a few beauty blogger videos of this product on YouTube to see how the pro’s did it, and most of them used a sponge to apply it. I tried using a beauty blender, but I don’t typically use a sponge for my foundation so this felt really awkward. I was getting lots of streaks and uneven spots. Halfway through I switched to using a foundation brush and liked that much better.

Photo Focus Foundation Pro’s

Let’s start with what I liked about Wet n’ Wild’s Photo Focus Foundation.

First and foremost, it looks fantastic in photos, just like the description promises. It’s super matte. Rather than reflecting light, which can make you look oily, this foundation seems to absorb light, giving an airbrushed look through the lens of a camera.

If you’re looking for a foundation to wear on camera, go ahead and buy this right now because it does that job perfectly.

It also wears really nicely through the day; it doesn’t do that ‘melting off your face’ thing that some foundations do after hours of wear.

I came to like the paddle applicator, which gives you really good control over how much you’re using and where you’re applying it.

Finally, there’s the price point. You just can’t beat $6—I’ve even seen it under $5 in some places!

Photo Focus Foundation Con’s

For starters, this product is thicker than I’d like. My usual foundation is Laura Mercier’s Candleglow Foundation in Linen, and one of the things I love most about it is that it’s sooo lightweight. The Photo Focus, in comparison, just feels a bit heavy, especially for someone who doesn’t like to feel like they’re wearing a lot of makeup.

The second complaint I have is that it doesn’t look as good in person as it does on camera. Does any makeup? I’m not sure, but I felt like up close this product looked a little cakey. It’s worth pointing out that I work from home and don’t wear makeup most days, so if you’re used to wearing a full face of makeup on a regular basis this might not be an issue for you.

My final complaint and the nail in the coffin for me is that this product sets into my fine lines and makes them more noticeable. Fine lines aren’t something that bother me too much—I’m 30, I’ve got a few, that’s life—but this foundation, like, collects in them in a way where it looks like I didn’t blend my makeup properly. Maybe there’s some technique to avoid this that I don’t know about, but I’ve never had it happen quite so dramatically before.

**UPDATE** I’ve been wearing this foundation on and off again for the past few months, and have found that when I use it with a primer that’s specifically designed to minimize fine lines, this isn’t nearly as much of an issue. My current favorite is the Becca Velvet Blurring Primer.

While I’m not in love with it, there’s a lot to like about this product! I’ll definitely wear it in the future when I’m filming videos or taking photos because it does look great on camera. I would also wear it when running errands or other times when I’m not too concerned about my makeup. However, as far as my go-to foundation, I probably won’t be switching from my current favorite.

Have you found a drugstore foundation you love? Leave a comment below and tell me what it is.

Shop the product: Wet n’ Wild Photo Focus Foundation

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