Confession: I scroll past every “clean girl” makeup tutorial on my TikTok For You Page. See, when I sit down at my vanity to do my signature full-glam makeup, my only goal is to be so flawlessly blended and airbrushed to perfection that every photo or video I post yields allegations of the Instagram Paris filter. Naysayers wouldn’t be wrong—the filter might be my social media Achilles’ heel, but the real magic comes from a lineup of makeup formulas I’ve meticulously vetted through years of trial and error. One brand stands out in every step of my routine: Huda Beauty.
I consider myself a bit of a Huda Beauty connoisseur. Wrestling with cracked, cakey under-eye concealer? Huda Beauty’s creamy #FauxFilter matte concealer delivers full pigment with just a swipe. Oh, and the airbrushed filter-like finish I previously mentioned? All credit goes to the Easy Bake setting powder. I could rave about how the Lip and Cheek Stain is my secret to just-bitten lips or how effortlessly the Pretty Grunge palette creates a smoky eye, but none of these supporting players would shine without the true star of any glam routine: foundation. Whether you’re into a full beat or lean toward being a minimalist, Huda Beauty’s latest launch, the Easy Blur Natural Airbrush Foundation, meets you in the middle.
Foundation isn’t new territory for Huda Beauty; its #FauxFilter matte foundation has been a bestseller since its 2017 launch, a hallmark of the heavier, full-glam looks Huda Beauty founder, Huda Kattan, helped popularize through her YouTube videos. But the beauty landscape is always evolving. Today, matte formulas have been traded for weightless, lighter “tints.” Launching today, September 2, the Easy Blur foundation is Kattan’s answer to 2024’s “clean girl” aesthetic.
It took 107 iterations to land on the final 29 foundation shades, which fuse skin-loving niacinamide and blurring silica to create a breathable, filter-like finish that lives up to its name… or does it? Here at ELLE.com, our editors favor every type of finish, from full-coverage matte to barely-there skin tints. So, how does Easy Blur Foundation fare among our pickiest testers? Ahead, three editors share their first impressions.
Nerisha Penrose, ELLE.com beauty commerce editor
“To me, the one true hallmark of a good foundation is how seamlessly it covers my dark marks. Since this is lighter than the matte formula, I fully expected coverage to skew on the sheer, tinted moisturizer side, but I was sorely mistaken. With one dollop on each cheek, I could fully cover my entire face without adding an extra layer for coverage. My dark spots weren’t completely erased but faded enough behind the foundation to give me a subtle filter-like glow. I prefer a heavier, full-coverage foundation, and the best part of this formula is that I can achieve a full-glam look without the usual amount of work or layers of products. My skin was able to breathe and maintained a natural, skin-like dewiness throughout the day without making me look oily.”
Carol Lee, ELLE.com associate beauty commerce writer
“Blurring is right. While it didn’t erase all of my texture, my skin looked virtually poreless all day with the primer and foundation on top. I usually go for lighter, sheerer formulas, but it felt good to return to something with fuller coverage—I didn’t have to spend as much time spot-concealing, and the foundation didn’t look cakey or thick on the skin, either. The foundation is buildable and could be full-coverage with just one or two more layers on areas that need it. I set it lightly with a powder, but since I have dry skin, I could see myself leaving it powder-free, especially in the winter.”
Leah Romero, ELLE.con senior digital designer
“The Easy Blur Primer and Easy Blur Foundation are the perfect duo, delivering a natural finish. The primer is thicker than I expected, but it holds up impressively well, despite being silicone-free. It instantly mattifies the skin, blurring any texture and creating a smooth canvas for makeup application. Honestly, I’d even wear the primer on its own as a base, layered over moisturizer. When paired with the Easy Blur Foundation in the shade Tres Leches, just one thin layer is enough to neutralize my mild rosacea and even out my skin tone. Together, this duo creates a naturally airbrushed look with minimal effort. My only con is that too much product dispenses from the top.”
Nerisha Penrose is the Beauty Commerce Editor at ELLE.com. Prior to joining the team, she was an Editorial Fellow at ELLE.com. In her current role, she helps lead coverage on makeup, skin care, hair, and fragrances. With over six years of experience in the world of beauty editorial, Nerisha enjoys delving deep into the complexities of fragrance notes, hunting for the best fixes for acne-prone skin, and advocating for daily sunscreen use. She regularly researches and tests the latest products, consults beauty professionals (including our Beauty Advisory Board) to determine the best expert-approved formulas to recommend, and conducts interviews with luminaries across the industry. Nerisha received her bachelor’s degree in Communication and Media Studies from Temple University before joining the editorial teams at Nylon and Billboard. In 2020, she co-launched our popular franchise The State of Black Beauty, an ongoing exploration of—and destination for—beauty at the intersection of Black culture.