Many of you will remember that I first used the Vincent Longo makeup line right after I graduated from college and was working at a Flagship Bath and Body Works, this was when a select group of Bath and Body Works carried extra makeup, skin, and hair care lines and I was able to try all kinds of products out when I was working there. Vincent Longo Water Canvas is one of the stand out products in the line and one of my personal favorites, this still remains one of the best blush formulas that I have ever used and I am running very low on my last pot of it. The foundation in this formula is just as unique and fabulous and this is the foundation that I ordered to alternate with my beauty balm for the next three months. This is the lightest weight foundation formula that I have ever used and it somehow actually still covers flaws and even skin tone out like a heavier formula would.
The compound that makes the Water Canvas line so unique is called Microwater, this product is 75% Microwater and it helps the product to look and feel very natural on the skin. Microwater is unique to Vincent Longo, this company holds the patent and I believe that the brand representative from this company told me that it was made in conjunction with the scientists from the major Asian beauty company, Kose. Kose is the parent company of Awake, one of my favorite Asian skincare lines and I know that any product from this company will be unique and high quality.
The Vincent Longo website is one of the few places that I can find this collection, it has been pulled out of Bath and Body Works and Sephora over the past few years and it gets harder and harder to find each year. "A patented and award winning Water Canvas Creme-to-Powder Foundation imparts a real-skin (neither too moist nor too matte) powder finish on the skin. The unique, ultra-lightweight and refreshing liquid/solid texture hydrates skin and allows it to naturally breathe. Contains 75% Microwater, a 100% natural botanical seaweed polymer and silica which maintain the skin’s moisture balance and minimizes fine lines and wrinkles. Vitamin E protects the skin from free radical damage. To prevent evaporation, be sure to keep the lid locked closed between applications."
The website also provides details for best application techniques. "Start with the Water Canvas Base to smooth and brighten skin. For sheer coverage, apply with VL Brush #37 working in light downward strokes. The Water Canvas sponge will provide medium-to-full coverage and should be used by gently pressing the sponge into the skin." I have this product in Porcelain however it is available in a full range of shades, most of which tend to run warm when you try them in natural light.
Application is really key with this product, I lightly rub the makeup sponge around the edge of the product in a circular motion and then apply it my to face. I do this twice, once to cover my whole face and get a base coat down and then I apply it again to areas that need more coverage (under my eyes, cheek redness, and my nose area). The second coat is needed for full coverage of problem areas but only one is really needed for good skin areas. I then do need to touch up with a bit of concealer, as I would with the NARS formula and then I am able to top if off with loose powder or bronzer and I am good to go for the day.
This formula lasts throughout the whole day as long as I use a powder formula with it and a primer underneath it. I am using a Smashbox primer right now and I am getting great results from the combination of the products. This foundation is best for warmer weather or for someone who wants a very lightweight formula and has no major skin issues that need a full coverage foundation formula.
Drawbacks of the product - You must close this pot fully (until you hear an audible "click"), close is wrong once and you have lost your whole compact of the product because the Microwater evaporates and dries out almost instantly. The shade range leaves a bit to be desired for ladies with cooler toned skin, I find that many of the shades are warmer and have yellow undertones to them (instead of blue or neutrals), this is one of the hardest foundation lines for me to fine a good shade for my skin tone. The biggest drawback of the product is how high maintenance the formula is; you must lightly rub your sponge along the top of the product to pick it up and it must be applied with a sponge (there is no other way to apply it correctly). Two coats are needed for problem areas and coverage needs to be built, it takes a bit longer in the morning to apply this product correctly (though I find the payoff to be worth it). Above all, you must make sure that you close the product correctly every single time, one incomplete closure with kill your whole compact. If you are not willing to invest this much time into this routine, then this is not the formula for you and I recommend that you do not try this product.
I love this formula and can commit to the maintenance of it and love the results that I get from it. This is not a typical foundation formula however it can give you a fabulous result if you are willing to put the effort into making it work!
photo courtesy of Vincent Longo
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