Iman's "Second to None" Isn't My Number One.

So after my post on foundations for women of color, and in my quest to look as amazing as Iman I decided the try the "Second to None" stick foundation from Iman's makeup range ($27.50). I'm quite happy using Clinique but I believe the color could still do with some tweaking.

So let's start with the positive: despite the fact that Iman's line has only a limited color selection, I actually managed to get a really good match with my skin tone (well the Toronto Eaton center makeup artist did). Most foundations contain red undertones which gives them a slightly pinkish hue. The color I tried here (Clay Medium) had yellow undertones which works great for olive and dark skins. So the color matching is probably the best I've seen so far and the matte finish looks good.

However, I have a few issues with this foundation:

 - The packaging looks cheap: it annoys me to pay a similar price as my other foundation and see a cheap packaging and a "Made in China" label. Seriously, I don't know what it is with beauty products for ethnic women. It's like we can't appreciate a nice packaging that doesn't break after one use. Well, excuse me, but I do.

-  The stick foundation is not the most practical to apply. You cannot use a brush since it's a compact cream and using it is probably not the best if you don't want to spread bacteria all over your face. Hello? Pimples!

- The coverage is a little too light for my taste, but it's just my taste. It won't cover marks or blemishes. So I got the Iman concealer  ($27.50) to do that job and the combo works pretty well. But again, it adds more work.

So yes, the color is great but it's way too much work for my daily routine. Would I use it again? Probably, but I will keep on looking for better alternatives because I truly dislike using a stick.

-Christelle-