Here’s the thing: For over 2 years I’ve known about the best full coverage, long lasting foundation makeup for melasma and vitiligo. For me, it’s mixing two colors of Kevyn Aucoin’s The Sensual Skin Enhancer. It is a great alternative to thick full coverage makeup like Dermablend. But it is not without it’s flaws (and because this is my review, those flaws are parabens and added fragrance).

Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer Review for Melasma, Dark Spots, Hyperpigmentation and Vitiligo Coverage

Highlights:

• Highly blendable, layerable full coverage.
• Easy to mix colors.
• Lasts ALL DAY LONG.
• Covers both very strong dark spots, hyperpigmentation from melasma and very light white patches from vitiligo.
• Great color selection – but as is often the case with me I needed to mix two colors. I mix Sx05 (light/neutral) and Sx06 (light/golden)

Swatches of Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer. Sx05 is a light shade with neutral undertones. I mix this with Sx06 a light shade with golden understones.

• It is a great alternative to Dermablend as it feels less heavy than Dermablend and Cover FX full coverage compact foundation.
• Now available at Sephora. Last year it was only available online, but now some larger stores carry it.
• Fairly waterproof and sweatproof, but incredibly light considering it’s long-wear potential!
• I’ve found that the finished texture is dependent on your own skin. If I’m having an oily or very moisturized day, this will look doey. But that’s not often the case with me.
• Looks great with a nice setting powder followed by a finishing spray.
• Works great as a concealer if you just want to use it for that. I covers my darkest hyperpigmenation dark spots and melasma very well.

How to use Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer for Melasma and Vitiligo:

You could totally mix this with the right type of serum or primer to have a sheerer finish. I normally apply with my fingers, first patting on my darkest and lightest areas. Then I use a damp beauty blender to apply all of my face, continuing to layer. I use about a small pea size amount of each color and mix on the back of my hand before applying. I then normally follow with a natural setting powder, finish my makeup, then apply a non-toxic makeup setting, mists or finishing spray. Right now, I’m only wearing this about once every three months if I have a party or a long day of meetings or traveling when I need to look my best and won’t have time to re-apply. It’s a great makeup, but not a great non-toxic makeup so It’s not a party of my every day routine anymore.

Kevyn Aucoin was a bonified makeup genius and his legacy continues with his makeup brand. His books are awesome and he was born and grew up in Louisiana like me.

Issues: Many

• It feels like plastic
• It smells like plastic. Scented plastic.
• Because of these first two issues, you don’t need to obsessively look up ingredients in EWG Skin Deep Database, The Good Guide or Think Dirty. (well, I’ll do that for you) to know that this is something you should not be wearing every day if you have sensitive skin or are opting for a non-toxic beauty routine.
• I look a bit plastic-y in it if I don’t use a finishing powder.
• It’s not hydrating or moisturizing at all. Like it feels that way at first but once it dries, it’s pretty dry.
• It’s NOT paraben free. It contains methylparaben. I don’t need any endocrine disruptors in my life.
• It has significant perfum/fragrance added – it’s very stressful to wear because of this (and also the plastic-y ness)
  • Besides the fact that there are many unknown ingredients and chemicals in “fragrance” in cosmetics that aren’t good for us, scents are also very stressful and can aggravate muscle tension and TMJ.
• It does contain talc which I’ve identified as an irritating ingredient for my skin.
• Definitely has some mineral oil. (I really don’t feel comfortable with too much exposure to petrochemicals)

Before and After: Using Sx05 and Sx06 to mix the perfect color of full coverage foundation makeup for melasma, vitiligo, hyperpigmentation and dark spots. I just wish this concealer and foundation didn’t use parabens or added fragrance / parfum.

My Biggest Issue: It doesn’t solve my problem of having a healthy-enough-to-wear-daily but with flawless full coverage, little to no scent and relatively non-toxic ingredients. My quest for full coverage and less toxic foundation for melasma and vitiligo continues…