I Tried TikTok’s Famous Water-In-Foundation Hack
Is it worth the hype?
Another day, another TikTok trend.
This particular trend has people mixing their foundation in water before applying it. It’s definitely not the weirdest trend that’s graced the app (see: lubricant as primer), but it was weird enough to make me go down a watery foundation-filled rabbit hole. The creators who participated in the trend claim that this hack gives you transfer-proof foundation with a dewy finish. Naturally, I had my doubts. But as someone who has oily skin, the possibility of transfer-proof foundation was enough to convince me to try it.
The Process
I actually don’t use foundation much these days. I prefer a more natural look, so I tend to reach for a tinted moisturizer or bb cream for daily use. However, I was curious if this hack would affect the coverage of a full-coverage foundation. So I decided to break out my bottle of Mac Studio Fix Fluid (my favorite for those special occasions when I want a full-coverage look).
I added the foundation to the water and mixed it up. The first thing I noticed was an oily residue on the surface of the water, which I’m guessing was a result of the oils in the foundation separating from the rest of the formula. The creator of one of the videos I watched on TikTok dabbed the oil off of the water using a cotton swab, so I did the same. Then, using the back of a makeup brush, I picked up the mixed foundation and applied it to my face before blending. And the results left me shocked.
To my surprise, the water didn’t dilute the foundation. It was still full coverage, but it felt as light and natural as my daily moisturizer. It left a dewy finish to my skin without feeling oily, and when I pressed a paper towel to my face to test the transfer-proof theory, the paper towel came away almost completely clean.
I finished my makeup routine and went about my day to see how it would hold up. For the most part, it held up pretty well. As I mentioned earlier, I have oily skin, so there’s bound to be some shininess that builds up throughout the day. But a couple dabs of an oil-blotting sheet left my makeup looking as good as new.
But there was one more test I needed to run: The Mask Test. Face masks have been messing up my makeup since the beginning of the pandemic and I was convinced this time would be no different. But to my surprise, very little foundation ended up on my mask.
Final Thoughts
While this trend does indeed work, it’s not something I’d do every day. It’s messy, time-consuming, and a waste of foundation (I also wasn’t happy that I had an extra dish to wash). For that reason, I’d suggest using an oil-free foundation if you want similar results. But if you’re in a pinch and need to work with what you’ve got, this hack definitely gets the job done.
