A couple years ago, Jones Road What the Foundation just about broke TikTok after makeup artist Meredith Duxbury slathered on way too much product and gave the foundation a bad review. This then led to brand founder Bobbi Brown clapping back by posting her own video, poking fun at Duxbury’s “application technique.” Regardless of that drama and some confusion about how to use it, the foundation, which the brand aptly calls a “tinted moisture balm,” has received thousands of positive reviews. These are my honest thoughts.
The Pros and Cons of This Foundation
The best part of Jones Road What the Foundation‘s formula is the moisturizer element, as it contains both jojoba oil and sodium hyaluronate. The latter attracts moisture to the skin and has a smaller molecular size than hyaluronic acid, giving it a greater hydrating effect. I have combination skin, but my skin has been on the drier side lately, so this foundation was the perfect choice. If you have oily skin, the formula does contain a lot of oil, so you may want to skip out on this one or use very little and see how it wears throughout the day.
My initial thought was that WTF looks and feels a little like pudding in the jar. On my skin, it’s very moisturizing and feels almost like a moisturizer when I apply it and blend it in. The coverage is super light—it practically looks like I have nothing on. It’s perfect for those who love the “no makeup makeup” look. While I do appreciate light, natural-looking coverage, this foundation does not really cover redness, dark spots or blemishes. I don’t expect it to work like concealer, or mask my dark circles, but most of the foundation products I’ve tried give me more of a tone-evening effect. So if you’re someone who doesn’t like to use concealer, go with something that has more coverage. If you are a full-glam person and like a medium or full-coverage foundation, this is not the product for you. Consider it more of a hydrating tinted moisturizer.
I’m also not sure of the smell. I don’t love it, and it seems like many other reviewers don’t either. However, once I rubbed it in and it set, I didn’t smell it anymore. There isn’t any synthetic fragrance in the formula, but I do see geranium oil and ginger root oil on the ingredient list, so I think the scent is coming from those.
The Shade Range
There are 16 flexible shades, from Alabaster (lightest) to Espresso (darkest). The brand says they work across all skin tones. I have lighter skin, and the shade Beige seemed to be the best match for me. Brown says, “Some people may need two shades: one for summer months, one for winter months, or a mix of both for the times in between.”
Key Ingredients:
Jojoba seed oil and sodium hyaluronate
What the Foundation Is Free From:
Parabens, phthalates, sulfates, petrolatum, PEGs, cyclic silicones, EDTA and BPA, among other ingredients included in the brands “clean” standards
How to Use It:
Well, there’s some debate here, but I’ll start by saying rule number-one is don’t apply a huge glob. Start with a little bit on a spatula—I wish this was included with the product instead of sold separately—and build up with more if need be.
I tried applying the foundation three ways: I used a dense foundation brush, a dry makeup sponge and my fingers. The brush soaked up so much product that hardly anything transferred to my skin. I found that the best approach was applying WTF directly from the spatula to my skin, and then blending it in with a dry sponge or my fingers. I used more of a stamping motion to press it evenly into my skin.
Price/Where to Buy:
$44, jonesroadbeauty.com
