[REVIEW] HERA Black Foundation

Although I’m always up for trying new eyeshadows, blushes, and lipsticks, I barely ever change my foundation.

I’ve grown out of BB cream & CC creams as the years went by and made the switch to liquid foundations, but for the longest period of time, the only one I would use was the Estee Lauder Double-Wear Foundation.

While I had heard some pretty amazing reviews about K-beauty brand HERA’s base products, this was the first product I ever tried, and let me know you, I was completely sold.

Suggested read: Avoid these tourist traps in Myeongdong!

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Product Description

Smooth and matte
Soft and hydrated skin from within. Moisturising ingredients and a soft powder giving a matte finish.

24-hour fit
A formula blending in seamlessly with the skin to build a smooth makeup layer lasting 24 hours.

Color stay. No darkening
Magnet-fit Cover technology color for makeup that looks freshly-applied all day long without darkening.

Official Retail Price in Singapore: SGD 75

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Ingredient List

See full list of ingredients and safety ratings here.

One ingredient that stands out to me is parfum/fragrance, which is pretty high up in the list. There isn’t really a strong, distinct fragrance when I use it though, and it certainly hasn’t caused my skin to itch or break out, so I personally think it’s not a very big concern.

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Review

Packaging

I can confidently say that the HERA Black Foundation is by far my FAVOURITE foundation packaging. Period.

Although the foundation comes in a tube packaging, there is actually a pump (!) at the bottom so that you can easily pump out the amount of foundation you need.

I like the fact that it doesn’t come in a bulky bottle that requires me need to wrap in a few layers when I’m travelling, but also comes with an easy-to-use and hygienic dispenser so that I only use the right amount. I’ve been using this to close to a year and still haven’t emptied it despite using it everyday – super, duper amazing.

Colour

Although K-beauty is infamous for a limited shade range, I think I’ll give HERA props for at least trying to be more inclusive. Unlike most other foundations that focus on ten thousand different fair shades, HERA Black Foundation at least tries to cater to other people of colour with more medium shades:

They even try to be a little more inclusive with the skin tones as well, so you can find a pretty good shade match no matter whether you have warm or cool tones.

Of course, I know they still have a long way to go when it comes to making darker shades, but (unbelievably) this is one of the best I’ve seen in terms of K-beauty foundation shade options, so I am considerably impressed.

My shade match is 21N1, though I may be opting for 21C1 in future because I need something a little brighter.

Coverage

For someone who frequently has acne, acne scars, and other blemishes on her face, HERA’s Black Foundation works like a dream.

The high coverage means that most blemishes are covered smoothly – even for pimples, while they can’t be covered completely, they do look less 3D when you apply this foundation over it and hence much less obvious.

Staying power

One of the main reasons why I love Estee’s DW is the incredible staying power, and let me tell you that HERA’s Black Foundation is a seriously good contender in this aspect.

The liquid foundation applies matte on the skin while leaving a healthy glow, and the colour stays fresh for hours on end. I could put this on at 7AM and still have my high coverage, even colour, and no signs of oxidation at all even at 10PM – even if I’ve been out in the sun. Seriously amazing.

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Final Verdict

Since Estee’s DW, no foundation has impressed me as much as this one. That shows you exactly how good HERA’s Black Foundation is.

I also love the fact that it works well even in dry and cold climates: I brought it along with me to Korea last year in November, and found that it continued to hold up just as well. Even though it is a matte foundation, there were no signs of cracking or oxidation either, so consider me duly impressed.

I know SGD 75 a tube can sound very extravagant, but it’s a very good investment to make, if you manage to get your hands on the correct shade.

Just imagine being able to use this foundation almost everyday (not kidding) for more than a year without needing too touch up at all. Definitely worth it.

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Individual Rating

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Overall Rating

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