Cover FX No. 35 Custom Color Drops

Disclaimer:  I purchased these.  All links are to past reviews of products mentioned.

So, there's a new player in foundation town, called Cover FX Custom Color Drops.  Words like "game changer" and "innovative" are being used, which is always an attention getter.  Of course I had to try it out, as who wouldn't want what is described below?

I took a blind stab at selecting the right shade, considering the lack of online swatches available when I bought these several weeks ago.  I also had to contend with some shades being sold out on Sephora's online site, but finally decided on No. 35, described as "medium light skin with neutral undertones".

In case you are not familiar with how these work, you place 1-4 drops into another base product, such as sunscreen, moisturizer, primer, facial oil, or even another foundation that may not be quite the right shade - really anything that you already use on your face.  These are not meant to be used on their own, as they are pure pigment suspended in fluid silicones (the swatch above is pure pigment, not mixed with anything).

Pure pigment

All I know is that they have mixed well with everything I've tried them with, although I've got my favorite combos.  You can adjust the level of pigment using the dropper, with 1 drop for sheer coverage going up to 4 for full coverage.  I've been going for 2-3 drops, depending on the state of my skin on any given day.  Here's some mixes I've tried this far:

Boscia Self Defense Vital Anti-Oxidant Moisture SPF30 + Clarins Radiance Plus Golden Glow Booster + Manna Kadar Movie Star Sheer Glo + Cover FX No. 35 (2 drops)

Cover FX Mattifying Primer + Manna Kadar Birchbox Love Sheer Glo + Cover FX No. 35 (2 drops):  I didn't care for the mattifying primer and thought my skin got oily quicker with it.

It Cosmetics No. 50 Serum + Buxom Divine Goddess Luminizer + Cover FX No. 35 (2 drops):  I really like mixing the custom color drops with the It Cosmetics No. 50 serum/primer, one of my favorite ways to mix it to date.

It Cosmetics No. 50 Serum + Temptu Champagne Shimmer + Cover FX No. 35 (2 drops)

TriDerma Pore Reducing Serum + Manna Kadar Birchbox Love Sheer Glo + Cover FX No. 35 (3 drops)

It Cosmetics No. 50 Serum + Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer 5 + Cover FX No. 35 (3 drops).  I mix in my hand and then apply with my usual foundation brush, although I've used my fingers to good effect with some mixes.

So are the Cover FX Custom Drops all that and a box of chocolates?  Yeah, pretty much!  I love that I can mix them with a variety of skincare products, which will allow me to use some items that don't get as much love as they should.  The It Cosmetics No. 50 Serum is a good example, as I remember it being a bit too moisturizing for my oily skin when I used it under other foundations, yet it works beautifully with the Custom Cover Drops.  The No. 50 Serum was also a rather pricey purchase at $48, so I'm happy to finally be using it.  Considering how little of the Custom Color Drops you use, I imagine a jar will last quite a long time, making it's price of $44 more palatable as well.  Overall, big thumbs up!

Update (12/25/15):  After 7 months, the drops thickened and became gloopy to the point that I threw my bottle away.  So, while I did use this a fair amount, there was still a lot of product left in the bottle that went "bad", for lack of a better description.  Not sure if it's the packaging at fault or what, but I will not be repurchasing.

Ingredients:

Ethyl Trisiloxane, Caprylyl Methicone, Bis-Hydroxyethoxypropyl Dimethicone, Isododecane, Dimethicone, Mica, Jojoba Esters, Triethylhexanoin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Silica, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Water, Alcohol, Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Polyglycerin-3. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499).