Review: Tom Ford Traceless Foundation Stick 05 Natural

After disliking the liquid formula, I didn't expect to fall in love with Tom Ford Traceless Stick. The liquid version oxidizes on my skin quite badly and doesn't provide the coverage I want with a thin layer. When built up for full coverage with 3 layers, it looks heavy and unflattering. It also has strong chemical scent. I tested Traceless Stick during each visit to the counter. Each time I left with a rising appreciation of the absence of oxidation, second-skin texture, perfect color match and no chemical scent. The issue for me is just how well it wears on my skin. After using it non-stop for the past month, I now can declare it one of my staples, permanently. 

Tom Ford Traceless Stick Foundation ($78 for 0.5oz/15g) is housed in a Tom Ford's signature elegant, sleek and chic glossy brown tube with golden rim and TF logo. It's exquisite! I love the packaging and I don't even tend to pay attention to it! The tube is shorter than my palm with the cap close tight. It was tossed around in my purse and the cap didn't come off. It'll also be handy for traveling.

I apply Traceless Stick directly from the tube in strokes. Three small strokes on the forehead, one long swipe on the nose, three large strokes on each cheeks, one short stripe on the chin and one gentle dab on the upper chin. Then I blend the foundation gently with a dense synthetic brush like Urban Decay Naked Foundation Brush or Real Technique Expert Face brush. The result is flawless and natural like second-skin.

Tom Ford Traceless Stick comes in twelve shades that are all yellow-based. They have the mixture of both pink and yellow, and integrate cool, neutral and warm in the color. So there is no real yellow or pink shade in the range. My perfect shade match is number 5 Natural which is actually more neutral and a bit lighter than number 4 Bisque. I can't find anything to criticize the match :D.

The spot-on shade match is also maintained throughout the day on my skin thanks to the infinitesimal oxidation of Traceless Stick. In this regard, it beats my other favorites Burberry Sheer Luminous and Clarins Ever Matte. The other two, albeit excellent, oxidizes more noticeably on my skin after 5 hours of wearing. It's a record time on my skin but Tom Ford Traceless Stick is better. Totally in love!

I don't experience any break out but some do. The ingredients look innocent so I'm not sure what might cause the problem. 

The ingredients

Tom Ford Tracessless Stick provides sheer to medium coverage and can be built up to full. The highly consistent creamy formula allows it to cover minor blemishes, vein, acne scars, dark spots and the likes on my skin in just one thin layer. It's opaque in the way that mimics your skin texture rather than creating it. The result is truly traceless as it claims. As you can see from the swatch below, before blending both Burberry Sheer Luminous and Clarins Ever Matte look smoother than Tom Ford Traceless Stick. However, when blent out Tom Ford Traceless Stick becomes seamless with the skin. It's hard to distinguish where the foundation begins or ends. That's what I expected from Giorgio Armani Maestro and Estee Lauer Invisible Fluid, both of which promise invisible natural skin-like texture that I found too sheer to cover minor blemishes. Some double Traceless Stick as a concealer (yes, the consistency is that good) for both blemishes and the under eye areas. But I find it a bit too thick for my under eyes. I rather use my YSL Touche Eclat instead. 

Tom Ford Traceless Stick dries in semi-matte finish (or semi-dewy, what's the difference anyway?). In the swatches below, the finish lies between matte of Clarins Ever Matte and luminous of Burberry Sheer Luminous. Although the texture of Traceless Stick is creamier than that of Clarins Ever Matte, the finish can be a bit dry if my skin is not thoroughly moisturized under dry weather. For this reason, I think Traceless Stick functions best during the more humid months. But this isn't a major drawback or nuisance. You just need to remember to exfoliate  your skin regularly and prep it well with moisturizer before applying the foundation. 

 Before blending

After blending

Tom Ford Traceless Stick stays fresh on my skin for 8 hours without a primer or setting powder, or up to 12 hours with a standard primer. It doesn't cake up or greasy up during the wear. I love to use it alone without priming or setting.

For all those wonderful benefits of Traceless Stick, how much extra must I pay? Compared to other two popular foundation sticks by Bobbi Brown ($42 for 0.31 oz/9 g) and Shu Uemura ($44 for 11g), Tom Ford's is more expensive ($78 for 0.5 oz) for more quantity of course. In order to get the same amount as Tom Ford's, Bobbi Brown would charge $67 and Shu Uemura would take $60 from your wallet. Pricey Ford! Yet I'm so blown away and happy with the quality and the quantity I have from Tom Ford that I'm no longer tempted to try Shu.

Will I purchase it again? Oh yes, if I ever finish it :D

Bottom line. Exceptional. Impeccable. Tom Ford Traceless Stick delivers the opacity in one thin layer, generating a skin-like finish that lasts all day with an unnoticeable oxidation. A must-have and added to my all time favorites list.

Have you tried Tom Ford foundations? How do you like them? Yay or nay?