I had never used foundation before mainly because I was afraid that it would look unnatural, heavy, or just wouldn’t match my mocha skin tone. So I usually went bare faced since I have fairly decent looking skin, and glided on a tinted moisturizer whenever I was looking for more coverage.
But one day I saw myself in a couple of pictures that was taken in artificial lighting and was horrified. I realized that my skin tone was uneven just like so many other women of color. My cheeks and nose were a golden brown while my forehead and chin were about two shades darker. After noticing this it became my obsession and I couldn’t look in the mirror without focusing on the two different tones.
So I decided that I had to buy a foundation, but I didn’t know which to choose until I read my favorite beauty blog, by former beauty editor Tia Williams www.tiawilliams.net/blog and saw that the goddess Iman herself had introduced Tia to her new Second to None Luminous Foundation . Tia raved about the foundation which she claimed was the first bronzer/foundation in one.
Tia had never steered me wrong so I decided to take her advice and went in search of the Luminous Foundation. Unfortunately the Luminous Foundation hadn’t hit the stores yet so I decided to go for Iman’s Second to None Cream to Powder Foundation. Even though it’s sold at Walgreen’s it was pretty difficult for me to track it down, since the shade I wanted was sold out at most locations. Eventually I found Second to None at a local Target Store for about $13 and decided to get Clay 1 even though I was afraid it would be too light.
I tried this foundation as soon as I got home and was absolutely delighted with the results. I shouldn’t have worried because the Clay 1 matched my skintone exactly and made it look better because it reduced the yellow tones in my skin. I really liked how it evened out my skin without making it appearing too dark or ashy, my skin looked like my skin only better. The cream to powder glided on like silk as the Iman cosmetics company claims and it felt like I had nothing on.
I didn’t like the round sponge that came with the foundation so I used my own triangle sponges to apply the foundation. I thought that the coverage was phenomenal but sheer at the same time and it didn’t take a lot of product or blending in for my skin to look great. It probably took me about a minute and a half to apply the Second to None Cream to Powder Foundation to my face which was a total plus. It usually takes me twice the time and effort to apply tinted moisturizer and it still doesn’t look half as natural as Iman’s Foundation.
I thought that the coverage of Second to None was the best part, but I found that this foundation kept my skin matte the entire day even through hot and humid weather, and there was no need to re-apply it throughout the day. This is an amazing foundation and I have no complaints what-so-ever except for the fact that none of the Walgreen’s in the downtown area of Chicago carry Iman’s line, as if the demand for her products isn’t there.
I’ve seen friends purchase foundations at 2-3 times the cost of Iman’s Second to None Cream to Powder Foundation, without nearly the same results, so I recommend this foundation to every woman of color out there because of the natural ranges of shades and the amazing coverage.
