Essence Soft Touch Mousse Review – Matt Beige

I’m not much of a foundation person. For the last couple of years, I have been using Garnier BB cream. It gave me light coverage and more of a highlighter effect. So I decided to switch to something that offered more coverage, but I was dubious about the liquid foundation. 

So one day, I’m walking down the makeup aisle (I search more than I shop!), and I stumble upon mousse foundation. The only mousse I knew was a bowl of freshly whipped chocolate mousse. So this foundation got me quite curious. 

It was a brand called Essence. I have tried their eyeliner and mascara, and they were pretty good. So I had a good feeling about the brand. I tried a little of the foundation on my wrist. And guess what? Love at first sight. It was Essence Soft Touch Mousse Foundation in the shade Matt Beige.

About the product: Get the ultimate smooth and flawless complexion using the Essence mousse makeup. Its super delicate mousse texture gives you a natural-looking matte finish. The lightweight formulation provides you with the necessary coverage while allowing your skin to breathe freely.

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Price: INR | Buy it at Amazon.com

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Cyclopentasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Bis-Peg/Ppg-14/14 Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Boron Nitride, Sodium Potassium Aluminum Silicate, Caprylyl Glycol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Propylene Carbonate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Mica, Silica, Parfum (Fragrance), Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Coumarin, Limonene, Linalool, Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499 (Iron Oxides), Ci 77891 (Titanium Dioxide).

Essence Soft Touch Mousse Foundation Review

Essence is a German brand that has become popular due to its budget-friendly prices. Its Soft Touch Mousse Foundation, according to its website, is available in 11 shades. I use 02 – Matt Beige, which I think is a good choice for most skin tones, but other shades might be more appropriate depending on how dark or light your skin is. 

The foundation is available in a pocket-friendly and travel-sized round glass tub. The glass tub gives it a classy look, unlike the cheap plastics that these products usually come in. But it also means that you shouldn’t drop it unless you want a makeup catastrophe. It is slightly heavy, and using a creamy product out of a round tub can become difficult after using around half of it. 

Let’s cut to the chase and put it to the test. The characteristic feature of the Essence Soft Touch Mousse Foundation is its velvety whipped look and feel. It is ultra-smooth (and incredibly soft. Think, slightly pigmented whipped cream). It glides on as smoothly as a body lotion.

A definitive plus is that it doesn’t have much of an odor – just a faint smell. Now you must know that you don’t want your products to have any scent unless it’s a pleasant smell. 

The best part about mousse foundations is application – you can easily apply it using your fingers. When you use a liquid or powder foundation, you are going to need an applicator.

See, some people prefer a brush or sponge for applying their makeup. But when you use your fingers, you can easily know the amount of product you are applying. Also, it is way easier to apply and blend.

If you still feel the need for a brush, apply it with your fingers and use a round brush or flat top kabuki brush to blend it in. Personal opinion, a basic flat brush is not a great idea for a mousse foundation. Also, considering the size and shape of the container, it won’t be easy to use a standard foundation brush to take the product from the container. 

Now let’s talk coverage. Mousse foundation is said to give medium to heavy coverage. Essence mousse foundation, at best, gives me medium coverage. I got dark circles and a bit of acne. The foundation doesn’t do any wonders on my dark circles. It makes it less prominent, but I would still need to concealer it if I want it completely gone.

Regarding acne, it doesn’t cover it up completely, only to an extent. Layering is a risky business. The foundation can become cakey if you apply multiple layers. I have had it happen a few times, and it is not a pleasant look. But it might not be the case if you have oily skin. You might be able to layer it slightly more than if you have dry skin. 

The Essence Soft Touch Mousse foundation gives you a glowy but not shiny appearance and an airbrushed look due to its light consistency, i.e., it gives you a bright and polished look. So if you are ready to combine it with a bit of concealer for your problem areas, it is your perfect everyday wear.

Plus, it stays on for a generous amount of time. I have had it on for 8-12 hours. You might need to touch up a bit on oily areas, such as your nose, after a while. Or go the extra mile and use a makeup setting or finishing spray. I usually moisturize my face before applying foundation. But I do not use a primer. And for this mousse foundation, it is not a necessity. The matte formula holds on even without a primer. 

Next, suitable or nay. I have normal to slightly dry skin. It doesn’t dry out and crack your skin like some other brands. Just put on a little moisturizer under it, and you will be good to go. The only trouble is that I have dry patches on either side of my lips. Even if I moisturize before applying foundation, these areas stand out. Yeah, that’s the word for it – stands out. So if your skin is dehydrated, I’m not sure if this is the best fit for your skin type. The area will look furthermore dried out and patchy.

I should also mention removal. Because of the matte formula and thickness of Essence Soft Touch Mousse Foundation, you will need to use a makeup remover to remove the product altogether. I, however, use vaseline or coconut oil for removing the foundation. It works as effectively as well as moisturize your face and is easy on the pocket. 

Pros: 

• Perfect for everyday use with medium coverage. 
• Velvety and smooth, which is super easy to put on. 
• Easy application using fingers. Brush or sponges not necessary, but you can use a round brush for blending in. 
• Stays on for 8-12 hours. 
• Matte formula perfect even for oily skin. 
• Pocket-sized and pocket (budget) friendly. 
• Smells neutral. 
• Primer is not necessary for application. Setting powder optional. 

Cons: 

• Not suitable for considerably dry skin. 
• Using out of the tub can be hard once halfway through it. 
• Medium coverage requiring concealer to hide problem areas. 
• Layering leads to a cakey look.