Call me silly but I didn’t realise that foundations came in different formulations and other variations depending on the country.
When I was in the US I knew I had to pick up the L’Oreal True Match Foundation because I knew that it came in a few much lighter shades than what is available in Australia. I was shocked to see the packaging was extremely different, the amount in the bottle varied from that of the Aussie version and the formulation felt different to what I had tried back home.
I thought it might be fun to compare and draw comparisons between the US True Match and the Australian True Match to see how they differ and the similarities.
Colouring
The biggest difference between the two is the colouring because they have a completely different numbering system and much different shades available. The US version offers a system similar to that of MAC, labelling the shades as either warm, neutral or cool indicating the undertone of it so you can easily match the right shade to your skin. The levels are really simple to follow and as an example are N1, N2, N3 progressively getting darker in colour. I would estimate that they offer a great variation of around 20 different shades all together including extremely light options and quite dark options as well. The Australian version is a bit more complicated, not offering a clear distinction between the three skin tones. I was also quite disappointed to find that there aren’t any really light shades for very pale skin or many dark shades for darker skin. I definitely think that they should realise some more colour options here in Australia.
Finish
The US formulation is completely matte while the Australian one appears to have a slight opalescent finish to it. On this skin this isn't noticeable and it looks as if they have the same finish so it could just be the reflection on the Australian bottle that makes it look that way. You can set this with a powder if you have quite oily skin or even leave it without if you have dry skin.
Formulation, Longevity and Coverage
Both have a very creamy and smooth consistency to them which makes it an easily blendable product. It holds up really well over time and can last an entire day without touch ups so the longevity is great. I would say that this is a medium to full coverage foundation and is definitely build-able.
Application
This is another huge contrast between the two products as the US bottle an open lid without any sort of dispenser while the Australian version has a proper pump top. I find that the pump dispenser makes application a lot easier and I know that this is a personal preference for a lot of other girls also.
Size
The Australian product looks significantly larger than the US one but they are actually both 30ml. I was actually told by a lovely lady at Priceline that we had the packaging the US currently has years and years ago but then swapped to the one we see today. So you do receive the same amount of product despite which one you purchase.
Price
True Match retails for $29.95 in Australia and you can purchase the same foundation in the US for $9.99USD or $13.90 Australian. Obviously there is a huge price gap here with Aussies paying over $15 more for the same amount of product.
So if you can draw anything from this I hope it is that these are completely different foundations, despite sharing the same name and being released as the exact same product. There are many differences in the colouring, finish, size, application and price so unfortunately it seems us Australians don’t really have access to the US formulation and it can be hard to get your hands on.The US version is a much more budget friendly option and once again Aussies are being a bit ripped off with makeup prices.
The Australian version is definitely worth trying but if you can't find your colour with the options available to us then definitely check out the US version.
Thanks for reading!
