Whenever I have somewhere important to be, my skin likes to stage a protest. Not a polite little picket line either—a full-blown coup. And so, naturally, on the morning I was due to test the new Foundation Stick from Jones Road, I woke up with what can only be described as a small volcanic formation emerging from my forehead. Vesuvius, but make it hormonal.
Silver linings, though, because if there was ever a time to test a foundation's coverage credentials truly, this was it. And reader, the stick passed with honors...
Foundation sticks, in general, are having a bit of a renaissance—and rightly so. They're convenient, compact, and gloriously unmessy; a few swipes, a quick blend, done. But what makes this particular stick clever is that it doesn't behave like the foundation sticks of old. You know the ones that produce thick, waxy, theater-like makeup. Instead, this one is featherlight, creamy, and genuinely skin-like. As founder Bobbi Brown explains, it was designed for everyone, regardless of skin type or tone.
Now, usually when a foundation claims to work for dry, oily, and combination skin, I roll my eyes. But this formula is impressively adaptable. Bobbi says that those with a dry complexion should prep clean skin with a light moisturizer beforehand, while normal to combination skin can often skip this step because the formula already contains hydrating ingredients. Oily skin? You can apply a light layer of powder all over to help set the foundation and reduce movement.
When it comes down to it, though, "your best primer is skincare," she says. As the adage goes: You can't build a house on a rocky foundation.
Coverage-wise, it sits beautifully in that sweet spot between medium and buildable-full. You can sheer it out on warmer summer days or layer it up over blemishes and redness without fear that it'll go cakey. I found it especially good around the nose area, where redness likes to bloom on me as an English rose does in spring... though, charming in a garden, less so on my face.
When it came to application, I radically discarded my usual arsenal of 14 makeup brushes and stripped things back to the tools God gave me: my hands. As it turns out, this is exactly the pro tip Bobbi recommends. "Don't be afraid to use your hands," she says, advising you to start in the center of the face, focusing on redness and uneven tone, before blending outward. Admittedly, this felt blasphemous at first, deeply rogue, even, before I realised she was absolutely right. Pressing the foundation with warm fingertips makes it properly melt into the complexion, leaving it looking seamless and super fresh. Sure, I still used a brush around the edges to diffuse everything into the hairline, but overall, the application was top-tier. 10/10 would blend with fingers again.
As for wear, the bar was, once again, met. As mentioned, I have extraordinarily oily skin. The sort of oily where by 4 pm, you could probably sauté garlic on my forehead. Yet while a little shine peeked through at the end of a busy eight-hour day, my face looked healthy and glowy rather than greasy.
Lia Mappoura (she/her) is the Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK, with over four years of experience reporting across the brand's print, social, video and digital platforms. Lia covers everything from emerging trend analysis to viral celebrity hair and makeup moments, making her an expert at spotting the season’s next big beauty look (before it takes over social media feeds).
In 2025, she was named The Rising Media Star at the Love Perfume Awards with The Perfume Shop, recognised for her outstanding digital fragrance content and for building genuine authority within the space. She is passionate about challenging outdated beauty stereotypes, championing inclusive representation in beauty, and educating readers on the trends, products and conversations shaping the industry today. Follow her on Instagram or find her on LinkedIn.
