When the weather is hot and humid, foundation is usually the first thing we ditch. Since a full face of heavy makeup can sometimes feel too much, we tend to opt for a lighter skin tint. But when we caught wind of Benefit’s The POREfessional Foundation, £39.50, a new launch promising matte, pore-blurring coverage in a weightless formula, our curiosity was piqued.
If you’ve been doing your makeup for a while, the brand’s POREfessional Face Primer has probably made its way into your rotation at some point. This OG bestseller works overtime to minimise the appearance of pores, creating a smooth canvas for makeup. This new foundation — the youngest sibling in the POREfessional family — is powered by niacinamide, a buzzy skincare ingredient that helps to refine texture, hydrate and improve skin over time.
To see if it lives up to its bold claims (and the POREfessional title), four R29 editors with different skin tones and concerns put the foundation to the test. Read ahead for our no BS reviews.
Venus Wong, senior writer
Her shade match: Benefit The POREfessional Foundation, £39.50, in 17N Ultra (Medium Neutral-Olive)
I normally love wearing skin tints in the summer, but since I have combination skin, some of my go-tos have been making my forehead and T-zone look too shiny lately — especially when I’ve applied sunscreen underneath. This mattifying foundation couldn’t have come into my life at a better time. The star ingredient, niacinamide, helps control oil production in the skin while delivering moisture, leaving my skin with a dewy (but not overly shiny) look. The medium-buildable coverage casts a flattering yet natural glow over my face, as if it’s been lightly retouched. The blackheads on my nose have all but disappeared, as have some of the discolouration and rough texture along my forehead.
But what I really can’t get enough of is the texture. Benefit claims it’s weightless — and I can confirm this is 100% true. I used a wet sponge to dab in the product, and it was almost strange to see my face looking brighter and more well-rested in real time when I can barely feel anything going on it, even over my normal SPF. The wear time was impressive, too. Once the foundation is applied, it clings closely to the skin’s surface and barely rubs off.
My final verdict? The POREfessional Foundation has become a front-runner in my summer makeup pile, which is unusual, given it promises fuller coverage. It does a beautiful job at camouflaging all the little spots I feel self-conscious about, while making me look (and feel) like I’m not wearing much makeup at all.
L’Oréal Blackett, Unbothered editor
Her shade match: Benefit The POREfessional Foundation, £39.50, in 28N Superb (Medium-Deep Neutral)
I’ve never been able to achieve the “baddie makeup” aesthetic. Between expectations of glam bright under-eyes, carved-to-perfection contouring and a matte, filter-like finish, I’ve always been intimidated and gone for easy no-makeup-makeup instead. This foundation has permanently elevated my makeup game for the better. I applied a few drops on the back of my hand and went in with a sturdy brush. A little went a long way. The coverage is immediately blurring. Poof! No pores. Poof! No pigmentation marks. The smooth, airbrush-like result is so satisfying — Benefit really meant poreless. Friends and family said my skin looked “filtered” when I had this on.
This liquid foundation dries down fast, so I recommend working quickly when blending with a wet sponge. As for the colour match, I picked medium deep shade ‘Superb’ (28 N). It’s classed as a neutral tone, but it does show up more orange on my skin than I would prefer. It did eventually oxidise to blend in better with my skin tone, giving me a rich, deep brown warmth. Next time, I will go down one or two shades, but I am glad there’s a choice between cool, warm and neutral undertones (it’s a bare minimum ask for makeup brands at this point).
Jacqueline Kilikita, beauty director
Her shade match: Benefit The POREfessional Foundation, £39.50, in 4N Wonder (Fair Neutral-Peach)
I remember my friends loved Benefit’s Hello Happy Soft Blur Foundation, but it was discontinued a couple of years ago. In other words, this new launch — The POREfessional Foundation — felt much needed for the brand.
Applying with a damp sponge is recommended, but I found it worked just as well with a large fluffy brush. The pigment really packs a punch. Just a pea-sized amount was enough to cover my entire face and neck, yet the finish was subtle. It’s more like a tint than a full-on foundation, but it brilliantly blurs redness, post-breakout marks and dark circles. I even skipped concealer!
I usually never leave the house without powdering my T-zone — but this time, I forgot, and honestly, I didn’t need it. My skin glowed in all the right places (cheekbones, brow bones) and looked fresh in areas that would normally be oily. That’s thanks to additional skincare ingredient niacinamide, which supports the skin barrier and helps regulate excess oil production throughout the day. But make no mistake — it’s not drying or overly matte. There’s also glycerin, which keeps skin feeling quenched, while the addition of dimethicone (a smart silicone) makes skin look and feel smoother. I’m convinced that these ingredients make it last longer, too. At the end of the day, I usually need to top up in places, but my makeup looked more or less immaculate.
Karina Hoshikawa, senior writer
Her shade match: Benefit The POREfessional Foundation, £39.50, in 13W Champion (Light-Medium Warm-Olive)
As an oily skin girlie, I’ve always loved Benefit’s POREfessional range. I overwhelmingly prefer a soft matte finish with my foundation, and this one definitely fits the bill. It’s on the full end of medium to full coverage and a little goes a long way; one pump was more than enough for my entire face and I didn’t even use concealer with it.
I have light olive skin, and the shade 13W Champion was a perfect match. My favourite way to apply it is with a damp Beautyblender, since it is quite pigmented and the sponge helps diffuse the coverage. (On days where I want more coverage, I use a dense foundation brush.) Even before I set with powder, the foundation alone definitely has the effect of making pores and texture disappear. My lone gripe is that there was a tiny bit of oxidation, as I went on with my day, but nothing too crazy. It also lasted all day, even without priming and setting!
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