When it comes to making a wise investment in a splurge-y foundation, there’s one specific variable that will impact how the formula looks, feels, and stays on your skin: how much you apply. On TikTok, the “how much foundation is too much foundation” discourse has been a wild ride. According to some, like beauty content creator Meredith Duxbury, the limit does not exist, which plays into the viral trend of “layering” (read: globbing and dripping) foundation on the skin.
Realistically and economically, though, the more-is-more foundation approach is not for everyone, especially in the muggy summer heat. For those who prefer a light, natural base that’s virtually undetectable, there’s a potentially game-changing new product that takes foundation as you know it and concentrates it so you can actually use a lot less — just three drops, to be exact.
I first heard rave reviews about the new Rituel de Fille 3 Drop Weightless Serum Foundation from makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes — a very reliable source, IMO. On Instagram, she posted an (unsponsored) foundation review calling the formula an “amazing innovation” and our editors confirmed we had to try this out.
If you haven’t heard of Rituel de Fille, it’s time to get acquainted with the small-batch indie brand out of Los Angeles. In line with the label’s witchy aesthetic, Rituel de Fille offers “potion-making” makeup, which is exactly where this foundation sits. It’s the coverage you want from a foundation, with the ease of a tinted face oil, and the benefits of a skin serum. It comes in 23 shades and the application directions are all in the name: Shake the tiny bottle, press the button on the underside to dispense one, two, three drops on your fingertips, then apply it to your face.
Rituel de Fille 3 Drop Weightless Serum Foundation
Ahead, our team gives our honest reviews of this $42 foundation that feels like nothing but offers the kind of coverage you want at a wedding with flash photography.
Amanda Mitchell wearing shade 175
“First of all, I love that these are called ~potions~. And let me say, I really liked this! The packaging makes it so it’s much easier to get three drops out than a traditional dropper would, and I’m very into that — but yes, three drops can get you full coverage. Since I’m not typically a full coverage girl, I started with one drop the first time I tried it out just to see how it performed. Using my fingers, I found that it spread easily and stayed glowy on one side of my skin… because I think my grippy primer was a little too grippy, latching onto that single drop with its entire life, so I wound up having to go in with a second. When I tried it out for the second time, I used a flat makeup brush and applied the foundation to my brush, and let me tell you: It was amazing. This feels a bit more like a skin tint to me than a traditional foundation, but with the coverage potentials of a traditional foundation. If you’re looking for something a bit lighter in texture and feel than Ilia Skin Serum (and without SPF), I think you’ll love this.”
Karina Hoshikawa wearing shade 130
“As someone with oily skin, I don’t tend to gravitate towards serum or dewy foundations much as they tend to make me look greasy, not glowy. However, I was willing to give it a go in the name of beauty journalism. First off, the shade match here is a solid 10/10. I liked how lightweight the formula was, and how it really disappeared into my skin with an undetectable finish. I used my fingers on freshly moisturized skin, and was able to sufficiently blend it out relatively easily. I didn’t set my face with anything, but was still pretty pleased with how it held up during the day, and how it truly felt weightless on skin. While $42 is expensive, I personally feel like it’s comparable with other high-end foundations on the market. Plus, because it’s so pigmented — and I only used a few drops for my entire face — I feel like one bottle will last me a very long time/forever. (Just kidding; expiration dates are important.)”
Megan Decker wearing shade 125
“Three drop foundation? More like one drop! Seriously, a single droplet covers my entire face with sheer, lightweight coverage that still looks like my skin. Of course, I could layer a second or third drop — and the ‘Press Me’ button on the bottom makes dispensing the perfect amount easy (and fun) — for more coverage. The finish is not matte or dewy, but somewhere in the middle. My skin is on the drier side and I was wary of this concentrated, obviously super-pigmented formula sitting in lines and creasing, but no — it lasted all day (it’s 80 degrees in NYC!) and acted as more of a veil than a full-coverage foundation. I apply it with a fluffy brush, directly over underpainted bronzer, and it softens the lines and melts into my skin. It’s so good that I can forgo concealer. It’s tiny and portable, so I’ll be bringing it to every vacation, bachelorette party, and black-tie wedding on my calendar this summer and fall.”
Breanna Davis wearing shade 185
“’Skeptical’ is the best way to describe my first thoughts when hearing 3 drops is enough to do an entire face. I assumed it was strategic marketing and the real trick was that it’s actually 3 heavy drops, but boy, was I wrong. The bottle isn’t the most typical foundation tube — it has a nipple-like tip that dispenses drops approximately the size of a ladybug. The amount of coverage I was able to get by the first swipe with my finger stunned me. One dip each time covered three parts of my face (the cheeks and forehead). This formula is the prime example of a little goes a long way. It’s not heavy at all so I could layer, if I wanted, but just one looked like my dream skin. It wasn’t enough to completely erase my flat, tiny facial warts but my skin was even and very natural. And the color match? Chef’s kiss.”
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