You’ve likely seen the Il Makiage Woke Up Like This Foundation all over your TikTok feed. It’s a product that promises amazing things (think: a flawless finish, exact shade match and all-day wear). Not to mention it has over 700,000 five-star reviews online and millions of TikTok videos to its name.
Does it seem too good to be true? I went ahead and completed the brand’s PowerMatch quiz – an online series of questions that helps you find your perfect shade of the viral foundation (which comes in 50 shades, btw). A few days later a bottle arrived at my door that has now become a staple in my makeup routine. Here’s why...
Key Specifications:
| Finish: | Matte and velvety |
|---|---|
| Coverage: | Full-on |
| Consistency: | Between a liquid and a cream |
Jump to:
- Il Makiage Foundation review, at a glance:
- How we tested the Il Makiage Woke Up Like This Foundation:
- Il Makiage Foundation review: Formula, finish and ingredients
- Il Makiage foundation review: Shade matching
- Il Makiage foundation review: Lasting power
- Best Il Makiage products to pair with the Woke Up Like This Foundation
Il Makiage Foundation review, at a glance:
- Pros: 50 shades, impressive coverage, accurate colour-match quiz, contains hydrating ingredients
- Cons: It's a little spenny for a foundation
- Price: £39
- Overall verdict: I didn’t think I’d get on with this formula. As a lightweight foundation, skin tint kinda gal, the full-coverage promises of this bb kinda stressed me out. But, to my surprise, I loved it! One pump is enough to cover redness and smooth my complexion, while I’ll use two-three for weekends where I want a little coverage. The lasting power is impressive too, lasting an entire day without sliding or turning patchy. Would I buy it again? For days when I need to step up my coverage, absolutely!
How we tested the Il Makiage Woke Up Like This Foundation:
Il Makiage Foundation review: Formula, finish and ingredients
Let’s be honest here – when I first heard about the brand, I wasn’t completely sold. Anything that forces its way into my eyeballs via an aggressive #ad campaign generally makes me sceptical, nor was I too sure on the formula and finish.
I’m a light and glowy coverage kinda girle, so seeing all the completely poreless influencers backing this one brought me out in a bit of a sweat. But I have to say, I actually kind of... love it. The coverage is indeed major, yet it doesn’t feel like a heavy-duty foundation at all: in fact, I completely forget I’m wearing it during the day.
The finish is a little more matte and velvety than I’d normally go for, but it doesn’t feel dry or cakey, even after a full day’s wear. While the coverage is certainly ~ giving ~ even with one layer, it easily builds without pilling. But even if you stick to one layer, it’s the perfect day-to-day formula that doesn’t look too done up.
And if you’re intrigued to know what the ingredients list is sayin’, know it’s a goodun! It contains hyaluronic acid and vitamin E so even though it offers a soft-matte finish, it’ll keep your skin feeling hydrated for as long as you wear it. Then it contains optically-corrective powders which, in human terms, helps to smooth the appearance of pores and fine lines. It’s also oil-free so it won’t clog your pores.
Il Makiage foundation review: Shade matching
The fact that I can’t swatch half a dozen shades IRL before selecting my best match always makes me nervous. But in the name of serious journalism, I took the PowerMatch quiz to ensure I had the best chance at finding the right shade.
It starts by asking what your skin type is (dry, oily, combination, so on and so on) and the type of coverage and finish you like. Then it asks you to identify photos that look closest to your skin tone. Next it figures out your undertone and finally asks you to provide some examples of foundations you already use and love. After all that, it recommends you an Il Makiage shade to purchase.
Going against all expectations, mine was perfect. I was shade matched with two shades (45 and 60) and they are spot on. 45 is on the lighter side but it will be perfect winter, while 60 (the shade I’m wearing in the photo) matches my fake tan seamlessly.
I also handed the product to Shadé, Cosmo’s former Senior Fashion and Lifestyle Ecommerce Writer. In the photo she wears 130, her ideal summer shade, while the shade selected for her in the quiz (shade 105) will be her winter pick.
Il Makiage foundation review: Lasting power
Oh, and the staying power is 10/10. On the day I decided to test the foundation, I had a busy day ahead of me. I applied it at 7:30am in the morning and did my end-of-day review by around 6:30pm when I got home – testing it through a sweaty commute and a hectic London Oxford Street shopping spree.
I will say, my T-Zone looked a tad oily by the end of the day but nothing that a small dab of powder couldn’t fix. But overall, I am pleased to report that it kept my complexion unified, radiant and the coverage remained intact.
And that’s not all, either. While the brand’s signature foundation is clearly the star of the show, freelance editor Lucy Abbersteen tested a sprawling collection of eye, lip and face products.
You can simply shop via product, or scroll through the brand’s endless catalogue of artists and influencers for a spot of inspiration, before clicking through to purchase their kit.
Best Il Makiage products to pair with the Woke Up Like This Foundation
Pros
- Nice brush shape that fits into the eye well
- Easy to build with no clumping
Cons
- Some may want more volume
“I like a mascara with a plastic comb because it’s easier to separate out your lashes to build length (I don’t have a ton of lashes so this is key for me!). While this could add a little more in that department, trust me that this one does. Not. Clump. Lashes look defined and a little fluttery.” – LUCY ABBERSTEEN
Pros
- Mattifies well (but not too much)
- Smooths out texture and fine lines
Cons
- It’s expensive
"OK, so the foundation is the biggie, but this Il Makiage definitely takes second place in terms of the most popular Il Makiage products. This smoothing primer works as a great base to even out texture and boost your foundation’s longevity – plus it’s the right amount of mattifying for my oily girlies." – LA
Pros
- Lovely texture
- Blends seriously smoothly
Cons
- Not enough pigment to cover a pimple
"Up there among the Il Makiage best sellers, this silky concealer blends so nicely it practically glides across the skin before disappearing into it. I’d say it’s got medium coverage; you’ll probs want something a bit more pigmented if you want to disguise an angry breakout, but it’s great on its own when you just want to add a lil concealer to even out your complexion." – LA
Pros
- Adds definition and volume to brows
Cons
- Will clump if you don’t wipe the brush properly
"Of all the types of best brow product out there, the two that I use most are pencil and some kind of clear or tinted gel. Basically, I’ve tried a lot of them, and this is great if you like a voluminous brow look. A word of warning though: you defo need to wipe the excess from this brush before you take it to your brows, otherwise it’ll go a little claggy. But provided you’ve done that, you’re in for nicely defined brows." – LA
Pros
- Rich colour payoff
- Matte but not flat
Cons
- The pigment may be too bold if you want a more lived in finish
“For longer-wearing lip colour, matte finishes are the go-to. This formula is so pigmented, leaving a nice crisp edge when you apply it that means you could even skip lip liner. And that matte finish? A great balance, not too powdery and flat.” – LA
Clare Stephenson is the Senior Fashion and Beauty E-commerce Writer for Cosmopolitan, ELLE and Harper’s Bazaar. She has been an e-commerce writer since 2022, creating matter-of-fact reviews and shopping pages filled with her favourite products for every budget and need – whether that’s a glow-giving foundation, a high-tech LED face mask or the perfect wear-with-everything blazer.
Alongside writing, Clare loves to be in front of the camera creating shopping content, putting viral products to the test to see which ones are truly worth the hype. Through her work, she has interviewed leading dermatologists, makeup artists and industry experts to bring readers trusted advice and product recommendations.
Clare has contributed to titles across the Hearst UK portfolio, including Women’s Health, Good Housekeeping, Red and Prima. Prior to joining Hearst, she earned a BA in Multimedia Journalism from Bournemouth University, focusing her studies on magazines and editorial. She later worked as an editorial assistant at Voir Fashion Magazine, covering events including Fashion Week and interviewing notable brand founders.
Outside of work? You can find Clare strolling through London’s Columbia Road Market, pouring her fourth coffee of the day or heading to a Pilates class.
Follow Clare on Instagram @clarefrancesstephenson.
Shadé (pronounced sh-ah-day) is the Senior Fashion & Lifestyle Ecommerce Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. From what to shop in the latest Revolve flash sale to how to style the hottest new trends, she shares shopping advice, reports on new collabs and reviews your fave fashion brands.
