The new Maybelline Dream Radiant liquid foundation promises all-day hydration with a beautiful glowy finish. Does it perform as well as I hoped?
You may recall that last year Maybelline dropped the Dream Urban Cover foundation to rave reviews. With full-coverage, SPF 50 and an incredibly long wear-time at only $12.99, there wasn’t much you could say about the product other than heaps of praise. In fact, the foundation was so beloved that it earned a coveted spot on the official Dream in Lace “Best Makeup Releases of 2019” list — which is no easy task!
Maybelline Dream Radiant Liquid Foundation
Needless to say, as soon as the Maybelline Dream Radiant Liquid foundation dropped at the start of 2020 – it had my attention. I placed an online order from Ulta and sat back, eager to give it a try.
While I in no way thought the new foundation would takeover my love for the original, its promise of a radiant finish and extra hydration boosting properties were music to my ears during these drab winter months.
What Maybelline Says About the Product:
- Lightweight
- Does not clog pores and is Dermatologist tested
- Hydrating formula hyaluronic acid and collagen
- Medium coverage for normal to dry skin
- Radiant and glowy finish
I, of course, was ready to put all of these claims – and more – to the test! For a full rundown on how the foundation perform and if its worth picking up over the Dream Urban Cover foundation, keep reading below!
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Maybelline Dream Radiant Liquid Foundation ($10.99 – 12.99)
Maybelline * Target * Ulta * Walgreens * Walmart
Less Than Medium Coverage
First off, I want to address that I don’t consider this to be a true “medium coverage” foundation as Maybelline declares. While it does deliver a fair amount of coverage to the skin, I vote this to be a Light-to-Medium Coverage foundation. The product works well as a color corrector to address any redness here or there around your face. But, sun spots, freckles, scarring and blemishes will still shine through.
Dewy Finish
As expected, the Maybelline Dream Radiant foundation does bring a nice glow to the skin. It’s quite dewy and reminds me of the NARS Sheer Glow foundation quite a bit.
Not Great for Oily Skin
If you have oily skin, I would recommend skipping this and going for the Urban Cover foundation from Maybelline instead as this does get quite slick on the skin throughout the day. You can wear this with a primer for better results, but ultimately I say it’s just not going to be the best for you. It’s more suited for dry to normal skin, as Maybelline themselves suggest.
20 Shades Available – Tricky to Color Match
While the Maybelline Dream Radiant liquid foundation does come in 20 shades – I had trouble finding a proper match. While the shade names are the same between Mayelline’s foundations, the colors are quite different.
For example, I purchase this foundation in Natural Beige as that’s my standard Maybelline shade. What I found, though, was the shade was significantly darker. Even after making an in-person trip to Ulta to find my best match, I still had some trouble. The variation between the shades in person was somewhat odd and I had more trouble than usual finding my perfect match (and I still don’t think I have).
I highly highly recommend visiting a store to see the foundation in person when deciding on your color.
Very Hydrating
Maybelline wasn’t joking when they define the Dream Radiant foundation as hydrating. It’s so moisturizing, in fact, that I’m a little bit wary that this will be a nice foundation come summer time with high temps and high humidity.
Requires a Primer
While some foundations wear nicely both with/without a primer, that’s definitely not the case here. When worn with a primer the foundation has a long wear time and is moderately lightweight on the skin. Without a primer, the foundation gets quite greasy throughout the day and feels heavy on the skin once you cross over the five-hour mark.
If you’re looking for a good drugstore primer, I like the pore putty and mineral infused primers from ELF.
Maybelline Dream Radiant Foundation Rundown:
- Available in 20 shades
- Light-to-Medium Coverage
- Dewy Finish
- Widely Available at Drugstore, Target, Walmart and Maybelline’s site.
The Pros:
- Very hydrating and formulated with hyaluronic acid
- Made with collagen for added moisture and to help battle fine lines
- Easy to get ahold and nicely affordable
- Smooths very nicely over wrinkles and pores
- Great for mature skin
- Easy to apply and blends well
- Nice glass packaging, with pump
The Cons:
- Lighter coverage than expected
- Not suitable for oily skin
- Requires a primer to help control the product’s greasiness throughout the day
- No built-in- SPF
- Tricky to properly color match as shades are darker than usual
Overall Grade: B
Overall, the foundation is nice. I think you’ll definitely like it if you have dryer skin because of how hydrating it is and I think you’ll be mighty pleased with the price! The coverage does lean on the light side, so definitely be aware that you’ll need to build it up or follow-up with a heavier concealer if you’re really looking to cover something up on your complexion.
I’m not head over heals in love with the foundation like I am last year’s Dream Urban Cover foundation, but if you are on the hunt for a light-to-medium coverage foundation that’s affordable and has a natural appearance — this one could be perfect for you!
Shop the Post
Maybelline Dream Radiant Liquid Foundation ($10.99 – 12.99)
Maybelline * Target * Ulta * Walgreens * Walmart
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Kelly
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