Even Bobbi Brown herself — the legendary makeup artist behind the product — joined the conversation by poking fun at the makeup creator and showing how to actually use the balm.
So after following the saga online, I ordered the foundation and tried it myself. And in my opinion, it doesn't deserve even half the hate it's gotten online.
Jones Road Beauty's What the Foundation retails for $44
I purchased mine from the brand's website and chose the shade Porcelain, the lightest option available.
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When it arrived, most of the product was stuck to the protective cap — a layer of plastic that sits between the jar and lid — but the balm hadn't separated like I've seen some TikTokers experience. (Bobbi Brown has shared a simple fix for the issue — which sometimes happens to oil-based makeup when shipped — via TikTok.)
To try the product, I clipped my hair back and dipped my finger into the container, scooping out only a tiny amount of product.
From that single dip, I was able to add small dots of the product to each section of my face.
Like many on TikTok, I quickly noticed the balm's scent. But in my opinion, it's not a bad smell or one that's so strong the makeup becomes unusable. Instead, it actually reminded me of the natural scents many skin-care products have.
The balm was thicker than I assumed it would be — I'd compare it to a heavy moisturizer. It also looked a bit greasy on my skin, so I had some concerns.
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But after blending the product with my hands, my skin tone quickly evened out. My acne was still visible as I expected — this is a light-to-medium coverage balm — but my redness didn't look as pronounced, and my dry patches suddenly looked moisturized.
I then let the balm sink into my skin, and after a few minutes, I had trouble believing what I was seeing — my skin genuinely looked like a healthier, glowing version of its usual self.
That said, it didn't work perfectly on its own. About two hours after applying the balm, I asked my mom how she thought my foundation looked. Her reply was simple: "shiny."
Sure enough, my face had gone back to looking greasy, and some of my hair was sticking to the product.
Luckily, the problem was solved with a light dusting of powder, and I didn't need any other touch-ups throughout the day. I even applied other makeup like blush, bronzer, and concealer (only on my most prominent blemish) atop the foundation and loved the result.
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I like the balm overall, and think the backlash has been blown out of proportion
When you use the What the Foundation balm properly, in my experience, it almost acts as a magic cream. It's moisturizing, illuminating, easy to blend, and perfect for balancing your skin tone.
But I can also see why the foundation wouldn't work for everyone.
I have dry skin and it looked greasy on me without the help of powder. Its scent might also be a little strong depending on who you ask. And for $44, it's more expensive than similar tinted moisturizers out there.
So while it's definitely not for everybody, I don't think it deserves the hate it's been getting either. At the end of the day, it's just makeup.
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