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Beauty products are constantly going viral on TikTok, from cult-favorite concealers to colorful cream blushes. But lately, one product has stood out high above the rest.
On May 9, beauty influencer Meredith Duxbury posted a controversial TikTok video (which has almost 15 million views on Thursday) in which she attempts to use a foundation balm from Jones Road Beauty as a full-coverage base. Her review led to a wave of both support and backlash, with some makeup creators saying they also disliked the makeup, and others arguing that she knowingly used the product incorrectly.
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.
I purchased mine from the brand's website and chose the shade Porcelain, the lightest option available.
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.)
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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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
