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Designed to melt instantly into skin, all of this is spun into a lightweight cream that deposits medium, buildable luminous matte coverage meant to last for up to 16 hours. While “luminous matte” might feel like an oxymoron, it really hints to the best of both finishes. Naturally veiled without a “glow” effect in a way that feels controlled—“leaving the skin looking balanced, in just the right shade, without too much shine or texture.” This contrast, for what it’s worth, inspired the foundation’s bottle: frosted on one end, transparent on the other.
As for shades, this is available in 34 shades spread across five color intensities ranging from light to deep. Then, within each intensity level are three undertones: cool, neutral, and warm; that way the range can suit an inclusive range of skin tones.
Our Experience With the Hermès Plein Air Luminous Matte Skincare Foundation
Ever the skeptic, I went into my preview of this foundation with an open mind. I have a medium-deep complexion with a neutral skewing undertone that formulators tend to forget in shade ranges, so I’m often left to work with something too warm. Well, sat on a makeup artist’s stool at Hermès HQ, I was recording myself when the pro started applying the foundation. Looking at my face through my camera, I kid you not, I couldn’t tell where my skin ended and the foundation began. Such shade accuracy can be attributed to two things: Firstly, Hermès designed this range based on an in-depth study of the six universal phototypes from the lightest to the darkest (phototypes 1 to 6); and secondly, the formula is meant to adapt seamlessly to a wide range of skin tones for a refined finish that closely matches each individual’s complexion. Fortunately, I got to leave the appointment with the magical foundation in tow.
One week later, armed with shade 63W sitting pristinely in its iconic orange box, I couldn’t stop thinking about a nugget of information I took away from the preview. Plein Air not only adjusts your skin tone, but to your skin’s needs as you wear it to ensure comfortable 16-hour wear. So, before heading to work I sought out on a wear test of my own.
Just before heading into the office, I dispensed one pump of the foundation to the back of my hand, then worked the product into my skin using the complementary Le Perfecteur Angled Complexion Brush. I convinced Vogue’s senior beauty and wellness editor to join my trial, and she describes how it wears perfectly. “I like to think of doing my makeup like painting,” she says. “Some days, I want an oil painting with a lot of coverage. Other days, we’re going abstract. And the Hermès foundation is like a soft watercolor—the formula is thin with a soft wash of skin-perfecting tint that is impactful with a swipe, but not noticeable to the wearer.”
The finish it imparts is unlike anything else I’ve tried. It’s smoothing and blurring the way you’d think of a matte formula, without forsaking my skin’s natural shine. Below is a selfie I took at 8:37 a.m. that morning after applying the foundation, paired with a bit of concealer and blush. I opted against setting powder and primer to see how my complexion pared on its own. You’ll notice radiance peeking through on my forehead and cheek—ideal for me to maintain the your skin-but-better look I prefer, similar to my usual concealer-only workday look.
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