Why Is Nobody Talking About the YSL All Hours Foundation? (Because It’s the Best Formula I’ve Tried in Years)

Many of my beauty picks these days come from TikTok, but my most used and repurchased items are actually ones I’ve discovered on my own, one of them being the YSL All Hours Foundation ($60).

Now I’m usually not a foundation gal. I tend to prefer lighter options like the ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint or the Elf Halo Glow with some concealer. When I do go for a foundation, I need it to feel lightweight on my skin, and give me at least medium coverage, so I don’t have to spot conceal. I also need it to last all day, because no ma’am, I will not be reapplying my makeup.

From their Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara ($29) that makes my lashes incredibly long and luscious looking to their Libre Eau De Parfum (from $34) that makes me smell like Blair Waldorf (or at least what I imagine she smells like), I’m already a fan of the brand. But I decided to try out their foundation because it promised a “luminous, matte finish” and a “24-hour long-lasting formula.”

Pros:

• Lasts all day
• Doesn’t separate
• Comes in 40 shades
• Has a broad spectrum SPF 30

Cons:

• It’s expensive
• Too matte when my skin is dry

We don’t gatekeep here at PureWow, so when I went to repurchase this foundation after I ran out of it, I knew I had to share my thoughts. My acne-prone skin requires a trusty foundation that won’t fade after a few hours, and preferably doesn’t call for extra globs of concealer for coverage. This one keeps my face fully covered from day to night all on its own and doesn’t feel like I have layers and layers of makeup on my face.

I normally experience a bit of separation around my T-zone if I’m not dabbing a bit of pressed powder over it every few hours, but the matte finish and light formula of this foundation stays intact on its own. My skin is drier than usual lately (thanks, pregnancy hormones), and the matte finish is so effective at keeping the shine away that it can actually enhance the dryness on my face, but when my complexion calls for a little extra hydration, I mix in a few drops of my Elf Halo Glow ($14), which helps. I’ve found that my other products (like my powder blush and cream contour stick) blend and mesh nicely with the YSL formula, too. I don’t wear the foundation by itself because it’s so matte, which can make my face look a little two-dimensional and flat.

Even though it’s pricey, I got nearly five months' worth worth of wear out of a bottle, which seems reasonable. For context, I use about a pump and a quarter of foundation each time and typically wear it four or five days out of the week.

Like most foundations I’ve used, I prefer applying a few dots of the product to my skin and spreading it out with my fingers before blending it all in with a sponge. This technique gives me the most natural finish. I own two shades of this foundation: one shade is for when I’m very pale, the other is for when I have a fresh self-tan. Sometimes I’ll blend both shades together when my self-tan is starting to fade. I also prefer to use a hydrating setting spray as a finishing step with this base because it gives my face that slightly glowy finish I crave—especially since I don’t really wear highlighter.

From the lightweight, full-coverage formula to the SPF protection and long-lasting wear, I fully believe this foundation is worth every penny.

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Liv Dubyak is PureWow's Commerce Editor. She writes across the board in fashion, beauty, wellness and home, focusing on products that can elevate your everyday life. She loves trying new products, sharing her honest experiences to help you decide whether what you’re buying is worth it or not (Augustinus Bader is a must-have).