Givenchy Teint Couture Fluid Foundation Review

Givenchy is not a brand that usually appeals to me, but during a recent stopover in Heathrow Airport dutyfree, their new Teint Couture Long-wearing Fluid Foundation caught my eye. This normally retails for £32 in the UK while at dutyfree, it was going for £27 (for 25ml) which seemed like a reasonable price for a prestige brand. It has just launched in Singapore as well.

While there are supposed to be 9 shades available, the lightest shade available at Heathrow was 03 Elegant Sand which looked like a good match for my MAC NC20 skintone. Sephora France lists this at €44 with six shades available while Sephora in the US stocks 8 shades at US$49.

I like the elegant glass packaging with the black leather accent on the cap, a design motif that Givenchy has been using on their Le Rouge lipsticks. The pump is also easy to control. If I am applying with my fingers, I need just slightly over half a pump for one application whereas if I use a foundation brush, I usually need 1.5 pumps. According to the product info sheet, the silky lightweight texture stays true for up to 15 hours thanks to a light and supple magnetic polymer. It also contains hydro-magnets to help the skin stay plump and luminous and a zinc derivative to protect against external stress.

The foundation texture is a standard creamy liquid that is amazingly easy to apply and blend to a seamless finish. Usually when I apply liquid foundations with my Becca or Etude House foundation brushes, there are inevitably some visible streaks that need to be blended out with my fingertips. Teint Couture just melds easily into the skin without any visible streaks, regardless of whether I use my fingertips or a brush, without emphasising my pores or showing up any dry patches.

It gives me medium coverage with a near-matte finish that does not look too dull or flat. I liked how it glided over my skin to reduce the appearance of my pores while evening out my skintone. Teint Couture also works well with my oily skintype and did not need a moisturiser or primer for a smooth application. It applied just as easily after I refreshed my skin with a toner. The oil control was also pretty impressive with my T-zone showing shine only after about three hours. When I forgot to blot for more than six hours after applying it today, there was a sheen on my T-zone and cheeks but the foundation did not smear or cake. I did notice a slight oxidisation by the end of the day, but it was not so drastic as to cause a mismatch with my neck.

Overall, I liked Teint Couture very much after wearing it throughout this week and would definitely consider re-purchasing it if I ever use it up. If you have normal to oily skin and are searching for a foundation that is easy to apply with medium coverage, this is a good option to test out.

Silicones and alcohol do appear rather high on the list of ingredients but I'm not particularly sensitive to any of these. If you are, do try a sample before investing in it. The foundation is made in France.