Product Review -- Kat Von D Lock It Foundation

I'm a big fan of Kat Von D's products, but I'd always stayed away from one of her better known ones, the Lock It Foundation.

That's mainly because it's a long-wearing matte foundation, and those typically aren't the best fit for my normal to dry skin.

Still, I've always been somewhat tempted because of its large shade range -- 33 in total -- because I suspected the lightest shade would be a good match for my very fair skin.

So recently, I decided to bite the bullet and give the foundation a try.

And the verdict is still kind of out, to be honest.

The foundation comes in a pump bottle with the usual Kat Von D type artwork. It's easy to control how much foundation you get with each pump, which is a good thing because a little of this stuff goes a long way.

Kat Von D Lock It Foundation in 41 Light Neutral

The foundation is fairly thick, but it blends easily into the skin. It is extremely pigmented and offers full coverage, so you probably don't need more than a pump to cover your entire face.

Given how pigmented it is, though, it's very easy to apply too much -- and if you do, it can wind up looking extremely cakey.

It also has a tendency to settle in pores and fine lines and can cling to dry patches, so it's very important to use a smoothing, hydrating primer underneath (Kat Von D has a one to pair with it, though I haven't tried it).

The foundation definitely has a matte finish, so I find I don't need to powder it. If you have oily skin, though, you may want to set it. It dries fairly quickly too, so it's best to apply it in small sections to make it easier to blend.

I find that it applies just as well with a brush or a sponge, but I wouldn't advise applying it with your fingers.

As I suspected, it isn't the best foundation for drier skin. If you have oily skin, I imagine that you'll like it quite a bit.

That said, the lightest shade, 41 Light Neutral, is probably as close to a perfect match as I've found in a liquid foundation.

Kat Von D Lock It Foundation in 41 Light Neutral

As a result, I've been mixing it with some of my moisturizing foundations to get a better color match. I've been mainly using it with the Tarte Empowered Hybrid Gel Foundation, whose lightest shade is a bit too dark for me. That's actually a pretty good combo because the Lock It makes the foundation last longer while the Empowered makes it moisturizing enough to not cling to my dry patches.

Long story short, I'd recommend the foundation for oily or combination skin, and only suggest it for drier skin if you plan to mix it with another foundation. Because of the large shade range, I imagine that a lot of people might find a perfect match in the Lock It like I did.

Have you tried the Kat Von D Lock It Foundation? Are you a fan?