Vieve skin nova complexion balm review: We tried the brand’s first-ever foundation

In 2020, make-up artist and influencer Jamie Genevieve launched her brand Vieve, pouring her years working on make-up counters into a beauty line of buttery eyeshadows , cream bronzers , lipsticks and more. I can guarantee you’ll have spotted its black and gold packaging on your social feed before.

Over the last four years, she’s unveiled a suite of products that have fast become permanent fixtures in my routine, including the eyeshadow wands and modern radiance concealer . The latest launch is the biggest to date however, with Vieve unveiling its first-ever foundation on 29 August. Meet the skin nova complexion balm.

While I am a huge fan of many of Vieve’s products – its juicy lip oils are a must-try if you haven’t already – as someone with oily combination skin , I was skeptical that a balm formula would work for me thanks to my perpetually shiny T-zone, dry cheeks and frequent redness. So, over the past few weeks, I’ve been testing a secret sample of the new launch to see if it’s worth a spot in your make-up routine.

Costing £34 and spanning twenty shades, it’s described as “the ultimate skincare-make-up hybrid” and is inspired by the brand’s bestselling skin nova, a glowy primer that has five-star reviews for its radiant finish beneath make-up. This new balm promises medium but buildable coverage, and a multitude of skin-loving ingredients, including brightening niacinamide , hydrating polyglutamic acid and plumping amino acids.

Designed to be lightweight and luminous, I wanted to see if it was as brilliant as the rest of Vieve’s collection and, given my love for many of its other products, expectations were high.

How we tested

I wore this everytime I applied make-up over the course of a few weeks, testing it with concealer and without, to fully understand how much coverage it could deliver. My criteria explored texture, how easy it is to blend, formula, and how well it held up after hours of wear. I applied it with foundation brushes, my fingers and a sponge to examine how well it blended, also.

Vieve skin nova complexion balm

Verdict: Vieve skin nova complexion balm