I Tried the New KVD Beauty Good Apple Foundation – and It’s Better Than the Original

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This isn’t my first encounter with KVD Beauty – many of the brand’s cult classics saw me through my teenage years. Throwback to 2009, you wouldn’t catch me leaving the house without a thick layer of its Shade and Light Contour Palette and a dramatic cat eye courtesy of the KVD Beauty Tattoo Liner (in Trooper Black, obviously). So, when KVD Beauty launched the Good Apple Serum Foundation in Feb., promising beauty fans they “have never experienced natural, full-coverage like this,” I had to see if it lived up to the hype.

If you’re a regular peruser of the makeup side of TikTok, you’ll probably remember when the KVD Beauty Good Apple Foundation Balm was all over your ‘for you’ page last year. The hashtag #GoodAppleFoundation now boasts over 199.6 million views on the app, so it’s no surprise the brand has extended the range to include a primer, concealer, and now a serum foundation.

Read on to find out if the foundation lived up to my expectations.

About the KVD Beauty Good Apple Serum Foundation

• It uses antioxidant-rich apple extract and quince leaf, said to nourish skin and minimise shine
• The buildable serum formula includes ultra-concentrated elastomer pigments to blend with skin and create a flawless finish, recommended for combination or oily skin.
• KVD Beauty claims it is “high performance wear that stands up to sweat and humidity.”
• It’s vegan, cruelty-free, and the glass bottle is recyclable (although the pump and lip are not recyclable)

KVD Beauty Good Apple Balm Foundation vs. KVD Beauty Good Apple Serum Foundation

One’s a balm and one’s a serum. Obvious, right? And while each of us has a preference on the formulas we gravitate towards, these two have another major difference: the skin type they are suitable for. If you suffer with acne or breakouts, they’re both good options as they are non-comedogenic which means they are “likely to help us avoid skin pore blockages”.

While the original foundation balm is recommended for balanced to dry skin, the new serum formula is said to be better for combination or oily skin. The aforementioned elastomer pigments are intended to give more of a mattifying effect, removing the need to set the foundation with powder, even if your skin is slightly on the oilier side.

What I Like About the KVD Beauty Good Apple Serum Foundation

After being on Roaccutane, my skin can get dry, so I usually go for something lighter than foundation, like a tinted moisturiser (the Shiseido Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Tint ($59) being a personal favourite). I was intrigued to see if my love of KVD Beauty would transcend into its new serum foundation.

After preparing my skin with the KVD Beauty Lock It Pore Refining Primer ($50) to create an even base, I dabbed a small amount of the KVD Beauty Good Apple Lightweight Full-Coverage Concealer ($42) in Light 105 on my blemishes and under eyes. The concealer is one of my must-haves thanks to the applicator shape that easily reaches the inner corners of my eyes and nose.

For the main act, I used two small pumps of the KVD Beauty Good Apple Full-Coverage Serum Foundation ($60) onto the back of my hand. There’s 40 shades in the collection and I used the second lightest: Light 004. I wanted a sheerer finish, and celebrity makeup artist and KVD Beauty Global Ambassador, Anthony Ngyuen, suggested I use a beauty blender to apply, but a denser brush will give more coverage.

I immediately noticed how nicely the foundation blended into my skin, but a little definitely goes a long way. I could have used just one pump. As advised by Nguyen, I went back over a few small blemishes to build up coverage in these areas as it’s much easier to apply more than take some away.

One thing that really stood out to me was the texture, It felt like I was applying a normal moisturiser compared to some full coverage products that are thicker and tackier. And, as it promises, I didn’t need to set it with anything. I try to avoid using any powder products in general, and am always skeptical when something claims to be transfer-proof and long-lasting, but after a full day of running around London with the foundation on, I can confirm both of these are true. The ultimate test came when I went to a Caroline Polachek concert in the evening and whilst I didn’t “cry on the dance floor”, I definitely looked hot enough to hurt someone’s feelings.

What to Consider Before Trying the KVD Beauty Good Apple Serum Foundation

I’m still a skin tint girl at heart, but I’m definitely going to keep this one at the top of my makeup bag for those days when I need some extra coverage that’s going to last all day and all night. I loved the way I could tailor the coverage based on the look I wanted to achieve by building it up thanks to the serum texture. When I applied more product, I did notice that it covered my natural freckles, which I love, so I would definitely play around with using more or less in certain areas to ensure they’re still visible.