This is my second By Terry Light Expert post this year. Please look at the first post where I explain how the extended shade range came into existance. .Have you read it? Are you back? OK. Light Expert for deep skin tones is here. Hurrah! By Terry added 5 shades to the range and I have the two deepest shades 15 (Golden Brown) and 16 (Intense Mocha) as well as 11 (Amber Brown ) which was previously deepest shade. As you can see from the swatch picture below, Intense Mocha is my shade so I will be basing my review of the product on that colour.
The Concept
Light Expert concept follows the idea that (French) women want to be able to apply their foundation and go. They want light coverage that they can build up and they want their skin to look like skin. I’m British and I want those things too…. Except, I’d prefer to have medium to full coverage.
The Packaging
Light Expert packaging is all about the componentry. By Terry is an elegant brand and this is not elegant packaging in my opinion. The brush and the cartridge containing the product can be disassembled for refilling and cleaning purposes. I get it, I understand it, but it does not work for me. Coverage on the go means that I need to be able to put it in my makeup back so that I can apply it in a public toilet, on public transport or at home. The button at the bottom that you click means that in a full makeup bag that is in a full handbag, it is clicking against the other products in the bag and the brush is loaded with more product that you want or need it to be. Either that or the lid comes off in your bag. Either way, it is not the most secure packaging for an on the go foundation.
Application
You have to click the bottom of the component to get the product into the brush. If you press it fully you get a full equivalent of a pump. It comes out in the four wells in the top of the brush. When I applied it with the brush that is is supplied with I found that the result was streaky on the skin. I tried buffing and stippling but the effect was uneven. I have applied my makeup on the bus with this product and when I got to the office I had to go in with a blending brush as my face looked streaky. My suggestion is to get onto the skin and then use your prefered brush or sponge to buff it in.. I found that it was a little bit tacky on theskin after application so powders apply to it beautiful and have real longevity.
The Shade / Undertone
Intense Mocha has an orange undertone which is a little scary when first applied. Serum foundations have a formula similar to this in that they ‘dry down’ to a differnt colour from what you initially apply to the skin. The final colour is a good match for me as I have both yellow and red undertones in my skin. I find an orange undertone to have a slight colour correcting element which I like but I know is not everyone’s cup of tea.
On the Skin
The first thing you notice when you apply this product is the floral fragrance. As with Lancôme and other French brand that rose-eque scent is quite prevalent. I don’t really like it, but the truth is after a couple of weeks of use I am now used to it. The finish is demi matte. It is not super luminous but not dry like a biscuit either. You can and I do powder it but not a lot and just in my t-zone. This is pretty long lasting on the skin considering that it is light to medium coverage. I need to conceal scars from sports but for light coverage (which is not my personal preference) it works well.
Final thoughts
Firstly, kudos to By Terry for listening to their consumers. More brands need to follow this example. Do I think that there should be more shades in this product? Of course. Do I think that the deeper shades should be available in a wider range of retailers? Obviously. Would I buy this foundation again? In all honesty no. I like it… but I don’t love it. The packaging just makes it a non- starter for me. The Densiliss, as expensive as it is on my wishlist. I think that the fuller coverage and the pump / glass bottle packaging is a better fit for me. Having said that, click expert is not a bad foundation it just does not work for me.
You can read more of my By Terry Reviews here and here. Follow me on Instagram for more beauty news and reviews.