This week, I test drove Canadian skincare brand DECIEM’s first foray into color makeup with one of their two new foundations.

In April, they released a Serum Foundation and a Coverage Foundation. I picked up both in the color 2.0YG (Light Medium, Yellow Undertones with Gold Highlights) for my NC25–30 skintone.

Today, I’m reviewing the Serum Foundation, which is the more lightweight version. It claims a light serum texture, medium coverage, excellent pigmentation, and a semi-matte finish. The shade I got, as indicated by the “G” in the name, has additional subtle gold highlights mixed in.

The formula is fairly liquid and serum-like, and it is indeed well-pigmented.

This foundation also has SPF15, though it can only be claimed in the EU:

Serum Foundations sold in the European Union offer an SPF 15 claim. This protection is achieved without the use of chemical sunscreens and only through physical protection from Titanium Dioxide. Additionally, no nano-particles are used to achieve this sun protection. These attributes are unique in foundations because it is exceptionally difficult to create a natural, lightweight look and consistent shades when using only non-nano forms of Titanium Dioxide for sun protection without any chemical sunscreen agents.

Please note that the formulations are and will be the same in all markets but the packaging will claim SPF 15 only in the European Union while regulatory processes for claiming SPF in other markets are carried out individually.

The Color

I found the color to have tinges of grey and olive, which were not quite what I wanted for my warm, yellow-toned skin.

Once applied, the undertone was still vaguely noticeable, so I don’t think 2.0YG is an excellent color match for me. A little tinted face powder helps to swing the undertone back in my favor, but I’d certainly prefer a closer color match.

The hints of gold highlights are very subtle, so it isn’t as though you’ve just applied highlighter all over your face.

The Texture & Application

The Serum Foundation needs to be shaken before use.

The oil-free formula has a very smooth, liquid consistency and a slick feel thanks to silicones.

Applying this foundation was easy with either my fingers or a makeup sponge. I didn’t have a preference either way, but I did get the best finish with a slightly damp sponge.

The formula is well-pigmented, so a little does go a long way. It spreads across the skin very thinly, easily and evenly.

The foundation set to a semi-matte finish, as expected. I have not tried any other shades, so unfortunately, I can’t really compare this shade with gold highlights to a shade without highlights. It doesn’t look totally flat and matte on the face, though, which is a plus for me.

However, the formula sets to a very dry finish, making it look a tiny bit mask-like. My skin is normally dry, although I have been using several layers of serum and moisturizer morning and night, and my skin has become much better hydrated. (Plus, it’s warm out now that it is summer!) This foundation appeared to undo some of that, and made my skin look tighter and less hydrated.

The Coverage

Coverage is certainly medium, as DECIEM claims. It has the consistency of a light coverage foundation, with the coverage of a medium. I love that.

The Wear Time

My dry skin doesn’t usually have much trouble with foundations staying on, and I didn’t have any issues with the Serum Foundation. I did powder it a little on top, and throughout a couple of warm, sunny days, the foundation wore well for at least 8 hours.

The Packaging

Both the Serum and Coverage Foundations are packaged in identical 30 mL plastic bottles with pump dispensers; there is no cap included. Despite their very low price (CA$6.70), the packaging is quite pleasant in its simplicity. The bottle and pump have semi-matte textures themselves, which is a nice touch.

A pump isn’t the ideal method of dispensing such a liquid-y foundation, and a little always dribbles out of the dispenser after each pump. No biggie, though DECIEM do offer a glass dropper that can be purchased separately.

The Ingredients

Cyclopentasiloxane, Aqua (Water), Caprylyl Methicone, Coconut Alkanes, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Coco Caprylate/Caprate, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Cetyl Diglyceryl Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)silylethyl Dimethicone, Dipropylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Hectorite, Sodium Chloride, Hexyl Laurate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Alumina, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin. May Contain [+/-]: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Tin Oxide, Aluminum Hydroxide, Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Mica, Triethoxycaprylylsilane.

My Verdict

Due to the color being a touch too grey and olive for my skintone, I would not repuchase the Serum Foundation in 2.0YG. I’d be open to trying another shade, but I don’t particularly like the drying effect this formula seems to have on my skin. It’s tempting to want these products to work since they are so inexpensive and seemingly well-formulated, but I’ll have to pass on the Serum Foundation.

The Coverage Foundation is looking a little better for me, and once I’ve test-driven that one a bit more, I’ll post a review. [2017-06-16 EDIT: Coverage Foundation reviewed!]

Have you tried Deciem’s newly-released foundations?

[Note: I purchased both of my foundations directly from Deciem’s website. I’ve also ordered their products from Well.ca and Sephora (though the latter does not carry The Ordinary).]

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DECIEM The Ordinary Colour Serum Foundation contains 30 mL and retails for CA$6.70. The formula is free of alcohol, oil, nuts, and soy. The company is cruelty-free and vegan.

DECIEM was launched by Brandon Truaxe in 2013. “We decided to do 10 things at once and called our craziness DECIEM, coming from decima, the [L]atin word for 10 in a sequence.” The company is based in Toronto, ON, Canada, and currently has stores in Canada, Australia, Mexico, South Korea, and the UK.