I've used the same foundation for years – but this £61 luxury alternative has won me over
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Outside In is the luxury beauty brand created by Hourglass Cosmetics founder Carisa Janes. I tried three products from the collection, including a £61 foundation and £69 face oil, to see if they're worth the money.
If there's one beauty entrepreneur who knows how to make a gorgeous product, it's Carisa Janes. The founder of Hourglass Cosmetics is also behind Outside In, a luxury beauty brand I've been putting to the test.
Outside In combines skincare and make-up with innovative formulas, oh-so-beautiful packaging and a focus on natural radiance.
Inspired by nature and light, the collection promises to enhance the complexion while caring for the skin. I've been trying three products from the collection: the Floral Reserve Face Oil, Silk Serum Foundation and Serum Foundation Brush.
And one has impressed me so much that I've decided to ditch a product I've been using for years in favour of this fabulous new-comer.
What I like about the Outside In luxury beauty collection
The packaging is gorgeous, the products feel luxurious and I love the emphasis on creating a naturally radiant complexion. I want my skin to look like I've had eight hours' sleep.
The skincare ingredients and lightweight formulas really appeal to me, especially as my skin has become drier over the years.
And the three products I tried work beautifully together, with the oil preparing my skin, the foundation adding natural-looking coverage and the fancy brush blending everything beautifully.
Floral Reserve Face Oil, £69
This is lovely. My skin, which has a tendency to resemble the Sahara Desert on a particularly hot day, loves a good facial oil.
I'm forever searching for something that leaves it looking fresh and healthy without making me look as though I've polished my face with butter. And this gorgeous oil ticks every box.
It's beautifully lightweight and absorbs quickly without leaving an unpleasant greasy film. My skin feels wonderfully soft and nourished afterwards, with a lovely healthy-looking glow.
It's made with sweet almond, sunflower, meadowfoam, jojoba and macadamia seed oils, designed to hydrate and support the skin barrier.
In a seven-day study involving 32 participants, 100% agreed that the oil absorbed effortlessly, left their skin hydrated and made it look balanced. And 97% said it felt weightless and helped boost skin moisture.
Silk Serum Foundation, £61
Unless you stick to the exact same product each time, buying foundation online can be risky. Choose the wrong shade and you can end up looking like you've spent a fortnight in the Caribbean or haven't seen daylight since Christmas.
Thankfully, Outside In has one of the cleverest online shade-matching tools I've come across.
There's an enormous dropdown list featuring foundations and complexion products from countless brands. Select your usual product and shade, and the website recommends your Outside In equivalent. Brilliant! And it works.
Available in 25 shades, the foundation combines light-to-medium coverage with skincare ingredients including hyaluronic acid and niacinamide.
It's feather-light and gives my skin that sought-after natural radiance without looking heavy or overly made-up. It's also attracted positive online reviews for its silky texture and natural finish.
My usual foundation is Clinique Even Better, which costs £36, and I've been a happy customer for years. At £61, Outside In’s Silk Serum Foundation is £25 more expensive, but I've been so impressed that I've actually made a rare switch.
Serum Foundation Brush, £50
I've always applied foundation with my fingers, so a £50 brush has quite a lot to prove.
Designed specifically for the Silk Serum Foundation, its soft, wave-shaped synthetic bristles blend the liquid beautifully into the skin.
It has a substantial limestone composite handle and does a fabulous job of buffing the foundation to a smooth, even finish without streaks. But I’m still not sure if brush application is for me.
What else is in the Outside In range?
The brand has this month added three luxury fragrances to its collection, each priced at £240 for 50ml.
Light Language combines citrus, florals and musk, Earth After Rain features minerals, spices and woods, while Undiscovered Rose blends rose with greenery and earthy notes.
Each comes in a beautiful glass and crystal sphere on a sculptural stone base.
There's also a new £35 Precision Lift Mascara, featuring a slim brush and tubing formula designed to lift and define lashes without smudging.
What I don't like about the Outside In luxury beauty collection
At £69 for the oil, £61 for the foundation and £50 for the brush, you're looking at £180 for all three.
That's a serious amount of money to spend on your face, however lovely the products might be.
But these are quality products that give superior results and it takes a seriously impressive foundation to tempt me away from my trusty Clinique, and Outside In has managed exactly that.
My verdict on the Outside In luxury beauty collection
Outside In is expensive but I can see the appeal.
The Silk Serum Foundation is my pick for anyone looking for lightweight coverage and a natural, radiant finish.
Although the brush does an excellent job, it’s not something I’d personally use regularly. But my skin loves the Floral Reserve Face Oil. Would I recommend the collection? 100 per cent yes, especially the foundation and face oil, provided you're comfortable with the price.