Review: All Hours Foundation (Yves Saint Laurent)

I have been on a mission to test out some new foundations (since finding my favourite Fenty Beauty and my new love, the Too Faced Peach Perfect) so one of the first that I picked up – which was a good handful of months ago – was the YSL All Hours. It is available at Mecca Maxima (in Australia and New Zealand) for the rather expensive price tag of AUD$89 or you can check out the official YSL Beauty website to buy direct (to check stockists).

This is a 24 hour wear foundation that has been really popular with beauty gurus and influencers online. In fact, it’s considered a cult favourite, which is why I decided to try it out. Unfortunately though, I found that my opinion on the product would change and fluctuate a lot over the past few months – which is why I put off reviewing this until now.

I actually do like this foundation and will continue to finish up the product, but it doesn’t have the longevity that I personally need. In comparison to the Fenty Beauty (which is my top favourite and my standard for all foundations now), it falls a bit short even though it is still one of the better ones I’ve tested (I’m looking at you, Huda Beauty). In the end, it just didn’t tick all of the boxes for me, though it comes very close.

So, let’s get right into this review! I’ll try to go into as much detail as I can about the formula and my experiences with it.

Product Description

This is actually my first ‘really’ high end foundation and, aside from liking the formula (on my first few months of use anyway), I was convinced to buy it because I’m a fan of the Yves Saint Laurent brand – I love their style, brand identity and their products have always interested me. I had heard a lot about the All Hours Foundation so, when I needed a new foundation to test out, this was the first one I reached for.

The foundation claims up to 24 hour wear, with an innovative formula that is both water and transfer resistant, but still comfortable on the skin. The Mecca website writes about this:

“Make midday or midnight touch-ups a thing of the past with YSL’s new solution to all your complexion needs. The waterproof and transfer-resistant formula feels like air on the skin, allowing for comfortable, matte wear. Ultra high pigment and an oil-control formula keeps complexion shine-free, with imperfections flawlessly blurred. For bonus benefits, the All Hours Foundation is enriched with a gentle skincare complex, actively protecting skin against external environmental factors and leaving it looking fresh and smooth from dusk ’till dawn.”

Essentially, this product has three main claims (taken from the YSL Beauty website):

• Full coverage: a rich level of fine pigments create a flawless, even coverage without a mask-like effect.
• Matte shine control: throughout the day, this oil-control formula keeps complexion shine-free and reduces the appearance of pores.
• Urban-protected skin: enriched with a skincare complex and UV filter, this active foundation protects skin against external aggressions leaving it looking fresh and smooth.

In addition to these claims, this foundation also states that it is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin, and non-comedogenic.

It has a range of 21 shades, which is relatively small considering how many massive foundation ranges are being released now but isn’t too bad either. The one I am using is the B10 (Porcelain), which is the lightest in their range, though the difference between it and the B20 is relatively minor.

 

Packaging

I won’t be discussing the box packaging (though you can see it in earlier photos) because it is the standard packaging for all YSL Beauty products. However, I personally really love the foundation bottle packaging for this!

The foundation comes in a frosted glass bottle with a black cap and pump. The cap and pump are also cool to the touch with a slight chrome feel – I wonder if it might be coated with a sort of metal? It seems to be plastic still, but it feels a lot sturdier. Overall, the whole packaging feels very luxurious. It is also a bit heavy, feeling quite substantial – which is great, though is not as suitable for travel. The bottle has a squared shape, which is simple but most effective as it sits easy on the vanity, and it is evidently very high quality. Even the pump is especially smooth, the smoothest one I have used yet, and it is easy to control the amount of product dispensed.

The foundation comes in a 25mL bottle, which is a bit smaller than the standard foundation (usually 30mL). It is also quite expensive at AUD$89 – I generally spend around AUD$50 for a high end foundation – but I can understand the cost considering that this is the YSL brand. At the very least, I am glad that they are following up the higher price tag with better quality.

Overall, I am really happy with the packaging of this foundation and I really like how it looks on my vanity too (yes, I’m a sucker for the brand like this). Design-wise, the only thing I don’t like is the excessive text and ingredients list on the back of the bottle. I understand that it is necessary, but the cramped text cheapens the overall aesthetic and I wish they would fix that.

 

Application & Personal Experiences

This foundation has a thicker, creamy texture in comparison to most others that I use. It has a matte finish that is still hydrating, so there is a very subtle glow – I would consider this a natural matte finish. The foundation also has medium to high coverage and is easy to build up, but still feels very light on the skin. It also doesn’t emphasise any texture or cling to dry areas, so the overall look is very flawless and airbrushed. It also has the trademark YSL rose scent, which is very lovely and not overpowering, and blends well with either a brush or a sponge – I tend to use the two interchangeably.

On first application, the foundation looks beautiful and I love wearing it for times when I only need to be out for a few hours. It gives the skin a very naturally flawless appearance with great coverage, but no caking or strange texture. I also like that it’s easy to blend, meaning that you can sheer it out or build up the coverage in areas where it’s needed. The foundation is hydrating on the skin and controls oil well (to a degree), so it mostly fulfils all of its claims.

The only place where it falls short though is in longevity. For a foundation that claims 24 hour wear with no need for touch ups, it breaks up on my t-zone by afternoon (around 7-8 hour mark) – especially around my nose and mouth area, where I have the most oil. It’s a big ask for a foundation to last that long but, at the very least, I hoped it would fade naturally.

Primer wise, I found that this worked best with an oil controlling primer. I really liked how the Hourglass Mineral Veil primer worked in conjunction with it and got the best results there. I also tried it with the All Hours Primer, but found that that did nothing for me so wouldn’t recommend it.

Overall, this is a foundation that I like and will finish up, but won’t be rushing out to repurchase – unless I can get it on sale. If it were a bit more affordable then I would overlook the longevity issue and be very happy with the formula (as I love it in all other aspects). However, if I am to pay AUD$89 for a foundation, I want it to be perfect for me. I think that this foundation would work better for something with dry to normal skin, as it seems to be my oils that gradually break it up. I also think that advertising it as a 24 hour wear is really an exaggeration – this really only lasts around 6-7 hours for me, which is fairly standard foundation performance.

On the plus side, this foundation really does look amazing for those first couple of hours. It’s both hydrating and matte, making it comfortable on the skin and giving a naturally radiant look.

It’s all a bit complex but I hope this review helped. Here’s the verdict!

SO WHAT IS IT?

A natural matte finish foundation with medium to high coverage, in 21 shades

THE GOOD

• Very high quality packaging and pump
• Design is aesthetically pleasing
• Lovely rose scent that isn’t overwhelming
• Natural matte finish – oil controlling but is not overly dry
• Doesn’t accent texture and instead gives a flawless finish
• Buildable medium to high coverage
• Easy to blend into skin (works with both brush and sponge)
• Decent shade range
• No oxidization

THE BAD

• Expensive
• Definitely not a 24 hour wear

RATINGS

• PACKAGING | 5/5
• PRICE POINT | 3/5
• COVERAGE | 5/5
• LONG WEARING | 3/5
• FINISH | 5/5

OVERALL RATING? 8.4/10

WOULD I RECOMMEND?

This is a foundation that I would get if I could get it for a better price so definitely take advantage of any sales or even duty-free opportunities that come by. As a foundation, I do enjoy it – I think it has a beautiful finish, great packaging and I enjoy using it. However, it does not live up to its 24 hour claim, so you will likely be disappointed if you are looking for something super long wearing. Definitely get a sample of this to try out first though, to test if it works with your primer and the shade.

If you are after something with the same matte finish and oil control claim, but is a little more affordable, I would recommend checking out the Fenty Beauty foundation for the Peach Perfect foundation – both of these are my current favourites.

WHERE TO GET IT FROM

Australians and New Zealanders can get this at Mecca Maxima for AUD$89, otherwise check out the official YSL Beauty website.

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